A New Hope
by BlackWolfStar15
Summary: Feeling guilty for the loss of his friends to the Fabrication Machine, 9 runs away from his group in shame. In his self exile, he comes across a familiar face he never got a chance to know who sends him to bring his friends back to life. Little by little, 9 feels hope for true happiness once more and deals with some challenges ahead of him, including an old enemy of his friends.
1. Chapter 1

9 watched from the slab of concrete he rested on as two of his friends, the scholarly twins 3 and 4, ran around the wastelands known as the Emptiness, cataloguing anything that wasn't damaged in the War of the Machines from the past. He saw his beloved, the brave and beautiful warrior 7, hide behind a pile of rubble with a sneaky grin on her face as she brought her bird skullmet over her face, preparing to prank her little friends. When the mute twins came over to the rubble to see what was behind it, 7 popped up and let out a fake growl and the twins jumped up in surprise and landed on their backs. 7 came out of her hiding spot giggling, and she came over to the twins and helped them up.

He enjoyed watching his three best friends play together, and laughed when 7 playfully tackled 3 and started tickling him, making the mute Stitchpunk laugh. But a pang of sadness hit him, almost as if it was weighing him down from inside. It had been over a few weeks since the Fabrication Machine's defeat, but he was still regretting the loss of his fallen friends; 2, the kind-hearted old man who became his first friend when he first awakened and sacrificed his life to protect him twice, first from the Cat Beast, and the second time from getting his soul stolen by the Fabrication Machine; 8, the gruff bodyguard who constantly picked on the weakest of the group but protected them out of loyalty, which was in his nature; 5, the one-eyed engineer who was his best friend that had always been like a brother to him and was always there for him; 6, the unstable artist he understood when no one else could; and 1, the old leader who once thought of him as the enemy but warmed up to him after sacrificing himself to the Fabrication Machine for 9 to retrieve the Talisman that it used to kill everyone by taking their souls.

And it all began with 9 making the big mistake of inserting the Talisman into the Machine out of curiosity.

He missed his friends so much, but most of all, he missed his beloved best friend and brother figure 5. He never forgot that gentle, one-eyed smile and that soft gentle voice that made him feel calm and safe. The day he lost his friends to the Fabrication Machine haunted him ever since, and he still blamed himself for their deaths all because of that one big mistake. From that day on, he kept the Talisman close to him at all times and vowed to never make the same mistake again. Sometimes he would take it out to remind him of his past mistakes and why he stayed close to 7 and the twins.

And almost every night, he still had the same dream that he was alone in the Emptiness and he would be surrounded by the Machines he faced; the Fabrication Machine, the Cat Beast, the Winged Beast, and the Seamstress, and they would take turns trying to attack him and he would try and run off. As he ran through the Emptiness, he heard the screams of his fallen friends and how they try to tell him 'You did this to us!', 'You murderer!', and 'You're a curse!'. He would also see 7 in the distance calling for him, but when he tried catching up to her, she was further away from him and he couldn't catch up to her.

He snapped out of his thoughts when 7 called for him, "9!"

9 put the Talisman back in his zipper and got up from his spot. He grabbed his light staff, which looked the exact same one he once had before it was destroyed when he saved 7 from one the of the most terrifying Machines he and his friends faced, the Seamstress, and proceeded to make his way to his three friends. He looked over at the remains of a destroyed Walker, and a small grey moth laid on top of it. It was also the same moth he saw in his dreams every time he got to where he was trying to chase after 7 to catch up to her. 9 didn't know how one small moth managed to survive the bloodbath and destruction of humanity, but what he did know was that ever since he had freed the souls of his friends from the Talisman, the moth had been around them from every place they've been to in search of a new home. He began to believe that the moth was only trying to scare them and bring more fear to them.

9 came over to 7 and the twins, and 7 saw the upset look on 9's face. She asked him with worry, "9, you look so upset. What's wrong?" 9 looked at her and said, "Oh, nothing." 9 didn't want to tell her about the same dream he had. 7 knew he was lying, and she knew what he was feeling. She saw the same face everyday since their friends were freed and went into the Heavens. She missed them as much as he did, but she learned to move on without them.

She looked at 9 and sighed, "9, I know what's troubling you. But we have to move on. You still have me and the twins." 9 nodded with a sad smile and the twins came over to him and hugged him. 9 chuckled and rubbed 3's hooded head, then he did the same to his sister 4.

9 smiled, "I guess you're right." He looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting late. We should be heading home now." 7 and the twins nodded in agreement and the Stitchpunks held each other's hands as they all started making their way back to the Library together. As they were walking, 9 noticed the moth fluttering over towards the rubble nearby as if it was following them.

9 looked at 7 and asked her, "7?"

"Yes, 9?"

"Have you ever noticed that a moth had been following us and watching our every move for the last few weeks?" 9 asked her. "I'm starting to think that it either wants to scare us, or is watching over us to make sure we do our job for humanity." 7 nodded in agreement, "You know, I was thinking the same thing. But I don't know how that moth could survive all that destruction from the war long ago." They stayed quiet for the rest of their walk home until they reached the Library. Although it was the closest thing the group could live in, they thought of it as their temporary home until they could find a new place to live.

After passing the piles of books, some that got damaged in the war and most of them that survived, 9 looked at the portrait of how beautiful the world looked before him, his friends, and the war. He sighed and thought to himself, _If only this is what the world looked like now_.

Finally, the four Stitchpunks reached the giant globe that the twins kept many human items including notebooks, newspaper clippings, medals, and jars of preserved animal parts. They went over to the platform at the corner of the globe and 3 activated it to make it move to where their quarters were. The twins went over to a pair of socks and some pieces of rags that acted as a bed and blanket for each of them, and 7 and 9 kissed the twins on their foreheads and said good night to both of them, then they went over to the makeshift bed that they shared made from an old empty matchbox, some cushions, and a large rag for a blanket. 7 took off her skullmet and put down her clock hand spear, then she and 9 got in their bed while the twins fell fast asleep in their socks.

9 looked up and saw the pure white moon shine brightly in the clear night sky. He kept thinking about his friends and wondering if they were watching him from the stars. He noticed five stars shining brightly as they formed around the moon. He smiled sadly, believing them to be his five fallen friends looking down on him and his beloved 7 and son and daughter figures 3 and 4.

7 looked at 9 and noticed the sad smile on him. She said to him as she put her hand on his shoulder, "I bet they know you miss them too, 9. But they moved on like we should." She sighed, "I miss 2 and 5 so much. If only I could see 2's face again and tell him how sorry I was for leaving him and everyone else behind."

9 looked at 7 and said to her, "I know why you did. You wanted to fight the Beast, but 1 wouldn't let you and he was being too stubborn to let you." 7 nodded, "Not only that, but he threatened to have the twins punished by letting 8 hurt them and have them locked up for a long time. When he ordered 8 to beat them both after they looked at 6's drawings of the Talisman and started studying them, I gave that big lug a well-deserved punch in the face and took the twins with me out of Sanctuary. But I never got a chance to say good-bye to the others, and I kept regretting that ever since the twins and I left and found this place." She remembered the day she and the twins ran away from home and found a new sanctuary in the Library and had a sad look of regret on her face.

She continued, "While we were collecting some supplies and the twins found a bunch of useful information about our world's past, the Beast came out of nowhere and attacked us. I managed to get the twins to safety, but the Beast took me down easy and knocked me out cold by throwing me towards the wall. I couldn't remember what else happened after that, but I woke up to see myself in a birdcage that the Beast found in one of the buildings and my back was slightly torn, and the Beast was taking me to the factory." 9 remembered when he first awoke and first met 2, but they were attacked by the Beast the same day and 9 watched the Beast bring 2 to the factory where the Fabrication Machine once was.

7 continued, "I managed to escape the cage by opening the hatch without the Beast catching me, and I took that bird skull and some of those feathers that were in the cage with me to use as my helmet. I found the twins at the place where I hid them, and we went back to the Library where they helped me recover from the attack."

She showed him the large brown patch on her back that covered up her number, with only the edges of her number still visible. She added, "After my recovery, I vowed to fight the Beast and kill it to prevent it from trying to kill the others one day. I thought that after I slayed the Beast, I could go home and be happy that we were free from fear of the Beast. But thanks to your stupid idea to put the Talisman in the Machine, everyone I cared about except 3 and 4 was killed off one by one, and I didn't even get a chance to apologize to everyone for leaving them, even to 2."

She said sadly, "I always saw him as the father I never had, and I loved everyone else as a brother, except for 8 even though we were sort of friends in the past, and 1 wasn't much of a friend to me either and we hated each other too much."

9 chuckled, "That's something we have in common." They chuckled together at what he said. She continued when her smile turned into a sad look, "When I lost all of my friends, I thought I could never forgive myself for leaving them, but when you freed them from the Talisman, I knew what I could feel from them all; forgiveness. They all forgave me for leaving them, and I forgave 1 for all we've been through." She looked at 9, who had a small worried look on his face that she brought up the painful memory of the past.

"I even forgave you for what you've done to start it all but finished it in the end. Without you, we'd be all dead, and I would've lived with nothing but regret for the rest of my life." 7 said to him. 9 smiled a bit, knowing that she wasn't too mad about his big mistake. What she didn't know was that he was hiding his shame behind that smile.

7 smiled at him, "The twins and I are so lucky to have you here. The twins love you like you're their father just like they love me like I'm their mother. Without you, you'd have no idea what it would be like if it were still just the three of us. Don't ever forget that you'll never be lonely with us around." She crawled over to him and kissed him on the lips. She sighed, "We should get some shut-eye."

9 nodded, "You're right. It's getting late." He kissed her on the forehead and said to her, "Good night, 7."

"Good night, 9." 7 said, crawling under the blanket. Seconds later, she fell fast asleep, but 9 stayed awake for a little bit. He looked up at the moon one last time and saw the moth resting on a broken beam on the roof as if trying to sleep. 9 turned away from the moth and closed his eyes slowly before falling fast asleep.

* * *

Somewhere in the Emptiness, a creature was wandering around the ruins of an old factory. The creature had a mechanical body and a cat skull with a red light glowing from one of it's eye sockets and a light bulb that acted as a flashlight in the other. The Cat Beast had been wandering around this new factory for days since its release back into the world. The last thing it remembered was when the pure white Stitchpunk sliced its head off when it tried to awaken its master, the Fabrication Machine, with the artifact it was looking for; the Talisman.

After the Machine created the Winged Beast to hunt down the other Stitchpunks after waking up from the soul of one of them thanks to that one Stitchpunk that inserted the Talisman into its socket for it, the Machine rebuilt the Cat Beast and made sure it was indestructible to prevent it from being slain once again by putting a strong metal covering around its neck to protect its wiring from being sliced through. Since the destruction of its master by the same Stitchpunk who activated it, the Beast decided to avenge it by lying in wait to destroy the last Stitchpunks on Earth.

For now, it had been over a few weeks since its revival, but it still needed more time to strike its enemy once again. It went over to the small den it made for itself in a large hole in the walls and rested for the night, planning it's next move to find the Stitchpunks and have all life on Earth wiped out like its master ordered it to.

* * *

**_So what did you guys think so far? After doing some Space Jam stories, crossover parodies, and one-shots, I thought of doing a story of my most favourite Tim Burton movie of all time; 9. This is my very first 9 fanfic, and I hope you all enjoy it._**

**_9 belongs to the very talented Shane Acker and Tim Burton, and the story belongs to me._**


	2. Chapter 2

Back at the Library, everyone was sleeping peacefully. 3 and 4 were sleeping like newborn babies in their socks, and 7 slept in peace in her bed. But 9 was having trouble with his sleeping as he tossed and turned and started dreaming.

In the dream, 9 stood in the Emptiness all by himself. He called out, "Is anyone here?" He heard rattling in the debris on one side of where he stood and he began to feel nervous and scared.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Cat Beast jumped out in front of him and roared. 9 shrieked in alarm and tried to run away from it, but he was stopped when another Machine jumped in front of him; it was the Winged Beast. The flying Machine closed in on its prey and swiped 9 from under his feet with its wings. 9 got up and ran, but he stopped when he heard the sound of a snake rattling. He recognized the sound as being a familiar Machine, and soon enough, the snake-like Seamstress circled around him with its long body and let out a loud, blood-curdling wail.

The Machine began striking him with its scissor hands, trying to slice him apart, but 9 avoided it by climbing over its body and he ran away from it. He ran as fast as he could through the Emptiness until he heard 7's voice call out to him. He turned around and saw her standing near a small destroyed church. 9 muttered her name and ran after her, and he didn't look back at his enemies. He was halfway to 7 until he looked over his shoulder and saw the moth fluttering towards him. 9 ran as fast as he could away from the moth, and 7 was further away from him now.

"7! Wait!" 9 yelled as he ran as fast as he could to 7, but the more he ran towards her, the further she went away from him. Before he could finally reach her, a giant metal claw grabbed him. 9 turned around and gasped in horror when a giant glowing red eye stared into him, piercing his soul with fear; the Fabrication Machine!

He screamed in fear as he tried escaping its grasp, "7! 3! 4! Guys! Help me!" He looked over and saw five familiar faces he once knew looking over at him. 9 recognized them and called to them, "1! 2! 5! 6! 8! Help!"

But they all just stood there and glared at him. 1 scoffed, "Help yourself, you fool!"

"You didn't listen to me after I told you to leave some things the way they were in this world, and look what you did to us!" 2 frowned and shook his head in disappointment. 8 grunted and turned away with 1 and 2.

6 walked away without looking back at 9 along with the two elders and bodyguard, leaving 5 standing alone and looking at 9. 9 never felt so hurt in his entire life; everyone he once knew was turning against him. He looked at 5 with pleading eyes and cried to him, "5, please! Help me!" 5 scoffed, "And give me one good reason why I should."

9 couldn't believe what he was saying and said with hurtful eyes, "Because you're my best friend." 5 glared at him, "If I'm your best friend, then why did you let me die? And why did you kill everyone I cared about?" He turned away and said, "So long, killer of our kind!" He walked away with the others and disappeared. 9 felt like his heart ripped in half and cried out to them, "NO! Please! I'm sorry! Please don't leave me!"

He turned around and screamed when he saw the Fabrication Machine activating the Talisman and the three Machines gathered over and watched in anticipation for their creator to destroy him. 9 tried to escape the Machine's grasp, but it was no use. He let out one last scream of horror when three green beams blasted out of the Talisman and headed for him, ready to steal his soul.

9 woke up from his nightmare with a gasp and shot up in his bed. He panted heavily as he looked around the quarters. He sighed in relief when he only saw 3 and 4 asleep in their socks and 7 still sleeping peacefully in their bed. 9 looked up at the sky and saw it was close to sunrise. He looked at his sleeping love and sighed sadly. She gave him a motivation that night and it still didn't help him through this depression he was going through.

He made his final decision and left the comfort of his bed, grabbed his staff, and was about to climb onto the lift when he stopped and looked back at 7. He sighed sadly that after he will leave, he will never see her again, the only woman he has ever loved with his heart the second they first met when she saved him, 5, and 2 from the Cat Beast.

2\. 5. Those two names reminded him why he wanted to leave in the first place, especially those three other names that also reminded him. He went over to 7 and said after gently kissing her forehead, "Good bye, my beloved." He grabbed a spool of thread that everyone had found on one of their walks outside and held it in place at the edge of their quarters, not wanting them to be stranded in their quarters without their lift, and started climbing down until he reached the bottom. Before leaving, he looked behind at his friends and said under his breath, "Stay safe, guys."

But his escape wasn't so quiet because the second 9 reached the floor, the sound of his feet on the floor woke 3 and 4 up from their sleep. They looked over the edge to see what the source of the noise was and saw 9 leaving the globe. 3 said through his flickering lights in his eyes to his sister, 'Where's he going?'

4 flickered her lights to her brother, 'I don't know. But we should follow him and find out.'

They quietly made their way to the lift without waking 7 up and made their way to the bottom on it. They found 9 walking over the piles of books with his light bulb staff off. When 9 heard their footsteps, he turned around and said to them, "Guys? What are you two doing?"

The twins went over to him and grabbed his hands, and they pulled him back towards the globe. 9 brought his hands away from them and said to them, "I can't stay here guys. I don't belong with you and 7." The twins couldn't understand what he was saying.

9 sighed, "I can't go through with moving on without everyone, and deep down, I know 7 doesn't forgive me for what I did, and neither do everyone I knew." 3 and 4 realized that 9 was leaving them and had sad looks on their faces as if they were going to cry. The grabbed 9's arms and begged him not to leave, but 9 said to them, "Guys, no! You belong here in the Library with 7 where you'll be safe, and I belong in the Emptiness, alone."

He began to walk away from them, and the twins once again grabbed his arms. 9 exclaimed as he jerked his arms away from the twins, "No! Nothing you can do can change my mind! I'm never coming back. Ever!" The twins were shocked with his new behavior and they silently cried. 9 sighed, "I'm sorry, but I need to leave so you can be safe from the world, from me. I know you won't see me again, but I'll never forget you guys. So don't you forget about me, okay?"

The twins nodded sadly, and 9 brought them closer to him and he embraced them gently. He said to them, "Keep each other safe. And tell 7 I love her, and I always have." The twins let go of his arms and he made his way to the exit. Before leaving, he looked back at the twins and said to them, "Good bye, guys." The twins waved sadly to him as he climbed over the mountain of books and left the Library.

After finally reaching the pavement of the once beautiful gardens, he looked back at the Library one last time and started running, never looking back at the building ever again.

* * *

**_How was that guys? 9 runs away from home after having a horrible nightmare, and what would 7's reaction be when the twins tell her about 9 running away? I decided to make 3 a boy and 4 a girl in my story._**

**_9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton, and the story belongs to me._**


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, 7 woke up from her sleep. She got up from her bed and stretched as she let out a small yawn. She looked to her left to say good morning to 9, but her smile turned into shock when she saw the other half of the bed empty. She got out of the bed and looked around the room to see if 9 was anywhere, and she found the lift already at the ground level of the globe. Without hesitation, she jumped off the ledge and landed on the floor with ease and ran out of the globe.

She looked around with concern and called out, "9! 3! 4! Where are you?!" She began to get worried and said to herself, "Oh, I hope the Beast hadn't come back from the dead and took them!"

She looked around the Library more and searched frantically for her love and the twins, and she calmed down and sighed in relief when she found the twins sitting on a partially burned textbook. She noticed 4 crying silently and 3 was trying to comfort her. 7 came over and sighed as she embraced them, "Guys! I was so worried about you two." She looked at them and asked them, "Where's 9?"

The twins had sad looks on their faces and 4 turned her head to an upright book and flickered her lights on it. Her lights showed a recording of 9 leaving them and saying the words he said to them, "_No! Nothing you can do can change my mind! I'm never coming back. Ever!_"

7 felt a pang of sadness seeing the recording. She felt like she was stabbed in the heart when she listened to the last thing he said to them, "_I'm sorry, but I need to leave so you can be safe from the world, from me. I know you won't see me again, but I'll never forget you guys. So don't you forget about me, okay?_"

4 finished the recording and she collapsed into her brother's arms in exhaustion. 7 nearly collapsed to the ground herself, but she kept her posture and crossed her arms in sadness. She cried silently, "I guess he's gone." She began sobbing softly in sadness, and 3 and 4 put their arms around her to comfort her.

After a few minutes, 7 brought herself away from the twins and assured them, "Don't worry, guys. We'll find him." She ran back to the globe and the twins followed her. By the time they got in the globe, they found 7 putting on her skullmet and shield and arming herself with her spear. She looked at the twins and said, "I'm going after him. You two stay in the globe until I get back so you'll both be safe." She came over to them and said as she embraced them, "Keep each other safe. I'll be back before nightfall."

She ran out past the books and the twins watched her leave as they walked back towards the globe to stay safe until 7 got back.

* * *

9 woke up with a start after having the same dream from last night and panted heavily. He got up from his spot and looked around the broken down car he found as a place to sleep for the rest of the night. He sighed, "I've been having that dream for a while." He grabbed his lightbulb staff and walked out of the car to continue his journey. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't care either. As long as he is far away from 7 and the twins, they were safe.

Thinking about them made 9 regret his decision to run away, but his biggest regret were his friends he lost to the Fabrication Machine long ago. He tried pushing those memories of his friends aside and focused on his journey through the Emptiness, but they just wouldn't go away. He had been walking for what it felt like to be two hours until he had finally arrived at the outskirts, and he rested near an empty crate for a while. He wanted to go to sleep, but he feared he would have the same nightmare that haunted him for days again.

He looked up at the sky and watched as the sun started setting in the distance. He stared at the horizon as he started closing his eyes and started drifting off to sleep again. He slept for what seemed like hours when he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night after hearing a voice calling to him

"_9..._"

9 looked around his spot in fear to find the voice that called to him.

"H-hello?" he called out. The voice called to him again, and 9 gripped his lightbulb staff tightly in his hands, ready to fight the stranger who was stalking him. He heard the voice again from behind him, and he turned around and noticed a pale white light at the corner. Out of curiosity, 9 made his way to the source of the light and heard the voice grow louder as he got closer to the light. He stopped in his tracks when he arrived at a small hole where a Walker bomb had went off during the war, and in the center was a small pile of burning white flames. Out of curiosity, 9 walked over to the fire to get a closer look, but he noticed the fire was far from hot.

9 reached his hand over the flames and put it over them, but he felt no heat from the fire and his hand wasn't charred or blackened. 9 began to wonder what sorcery this was when pale white fog started circling around his feet and he heard the same voice call to him, "_9..._" He turned around and watched as the flames died down a little and the fog coming close to them. 9 watched in wonder as they started forming into a human figure, one he recognized from his past when he first awoke in the dead world.

"_Greetings, 9. It has been so long since I've seen you, but sadly I was not alive to see you awaken_." 9 finally recognized the voice and the man's face. He gasped, "You! You're the scientist who created us all!" He corrected himself, ashamed and saddened, "Well, I mean back when everyone was here before me."

"_I have seen the angst, regret, and emotional pain you have been going through, my greatest creation, and I am here for you. _" the Scientist said to him in his gruff but gentle voice. 9 sighed, "I'm not your greatest creation. I don't think I ever was. All I am was the last thing you created when this whole world became ruins."

The Scientist said to him, "_You have always been my greatest creation, along with your loved ones and the friends you lost. You may have made a mistake with my machine, but you have fulfilled my wish to end what I have started, and you have saved the future of humanity from extinction._"

9 snapped at him, "But I'm not a hero! I was everyone's enemy and murderer! The one who activated your machine and had them slaughtered!" He sighed, "I should have died in their place. They didn't deserve to die, I did." He was about to break down at the memory of his first friend 2 having his soul sucked away by the Fabrication Machine after he inserted the Talisman into it, and the other memories of those he knew having their own souls taken and killed. He asked him sadly, "Why are you here? Was it just so you can see me like you first saw my friends?"

The Scientist answered, "_Before I gave you the last piece of my soul, I neglected to mention that there is more to the device I entrusted you with. Your fallen ones have not completed their mission on Earth, and they must be brought back to play their part in protecting humanity's future. With that device, you can bring them back to Earth and let them walk on solid ground once again_." 9 had no idea what the man was saying, but his thoughts about his fallen friends finally made him snap.

He yelled in anger and sadness, "No! They're all dead because of me! None of this would have happened if I didn't have that Talisman with me! You've picked the wrong person to do this task. All I ever bring is death and suffering, and I don't want it to happen again! Just please leave me be so I can always remember them!"

He turned around and was about to run away, but the Scientist said outloud, "_**YOU WERE THE ONE WHO REUNITED YOUR PEOPLE IN THAT BATTLE!**_" The Scientist's voice boomed so loud that 9 fell back, landed on the ground and curled up in a fetal position in fear. "_**IT WAS YOU WHO SAVED THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY! YOU WERE MY LAST HOPE TO ATONE FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE TO THOSE I KNEW AND CARED ABOUT AND MANY INNOCENT LIVES LOST TO MY MACHINE!**_"

9 tried to speak to him, but he was alreay too scared to move or say another word. He began to break down in silent tears, and the fogs streamed away from the flames and the Scientist's image appeared on solid ground. He came over to 9 and knelt down to him and gently rubbed his back to comfort the Stitchpunk.

"_9, you have been in this emotional pain for so long. It pains not just your beloved or the twins, but it pains me to see you like this_." he said in the most gentle tone 9 had ever heard. "_You need to take this task to ease your pains and heal your scars_." 9 looked up at him and saw the soft smile on his face. He said to him, "_When there are things going wrong on your journey, I will be there for you, even when you won't see me. I will be watching over you and your family_. " He drifted back to the flames and looked over at the Stitchpunk.

" _To regain your friends, you must restore their outer shells from where they lost their lives, remember the sequence to the revival process, and aim the Talisman to the sky where your people are waiting to return to Earth after pressing the markings in this order_. " the Scientist told him as he waved his hands and the smoke formed into the shapes of the Talisman and its markings. The lower left marking glowed first, then the top marking, and finally the lower right marking.

"_I have faith in you, my child. I have done all I can in humanity's final days, now it is your turn to protect our future_." the Scientist said to him as he put his hand on 9's shoulder and nodded with a soft smile. He brought his hand away before his image disappeared and the flames died down completely until there was nothing but ashes on the ground.

9 brought out the Talisman from his chest and looked at it. He memorized the sequence the Scientist showed him, and he said, "I won't let you all down again. I promise." He grabbed his lightbulb staff and made his way into the outskirts of the Emptiness to start his journey. It had already been sunrise and the sun was starting to come up. As he made his way back to the Emptiness, he looked over and saw the moth resting on a dead flower.

Instead of showing fear or worry, 9 said to the moth as he tightened his grip on his staff, "You! What do you want from me?" The moth just fluttered away and headed for the city ruins. 9 wanted to know where the insect was going and decided to follow it. His journey had begun.

* * *

_**So what did you guys think of this? 9 has met the spirit of his creator and he now has a chance of redemption, and now he may have found a way to fill the void in his heart. Will his mission be successful or will it be a failure? A part of this chapter was inspired by the Prince of Egypt where Moses meets God.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton, the Prince of Egypt belongs to Dreamworks, and the story belongs to me.**_


	4. Chapter 4

9 returned to the Emptiness later that day. He was about to head back to the Library to tell 7 about what had happened and tell her and the twins how sorry he was for leaving them, but that would have to wait. Right now he needed to find the bodies of his fallen friends and bring them back. First, he wanted to find and bring back the very first person he met and befriended, the one who helped him learn about the Emptiness when he first awakened; 2.

He remembered the last time he saw the old Stitchpunk was when he and his friends set him adrift in the fountain back at the Library to let his body rest in peace after freeing it from the Seamstress. He decided to return to the Library to find 2, but then he thought about 7 and the twins. He believed if they saw him return, they'd see him as a deserter and leave him. He planned to sneak through the Library to get to the fountain without them spotting him. Before heading to the Library, he went over to a partially destroyed building that was once the home of his creator where he awoke.

After climbing the still-intact staircase up to the top floor, he entered the laboratory and walked over to the desk. If he was going to bring his friends back to life with the Talisman, he needed something to help it transfer their souls back into their bodies. He remembered seeing one of the Scientist's blueprints of the Talisman needing to be connected to a small wire to the sockets inside their chests to transfer their souls. He climbed up the desk and over to the transfer device where he first awakened, and he found a small wire lying beneath it. It had a small connecting jack at the end and three tiny buds at the front.

Recognizing the alignment of the buds, he took out the Talisman from his chest and saw three sockets at the bottom of it. Curiously, he inserted the three buds on the wire into the Talisman and sure enough, they were a perfect fit! He took them out of the socket, and he looked at the jack end of the wire. 9 remembered when he first awakened, he noticed a slot in his chest below where his voice box would be, and he knew that this was where the jack was inserted when the Scientist gave him his soul before the old man died. He said to himself, "If I can just find everyone's bodies, maybe I can get their souls back with this and the Talisman."

He stuffed the wire and the Talisman into his chest and zipped the zipper back up to secure the two objects inside him. He was about to make his way out of the room until he stopped and looked across the floor. He walked over to the lifeless body covered in scattered papers that laid on flat on the floor. 9 held his head low and looked down at the lifeless body, which was the long-dead Scientist who gave his soul to him and everyone else before him, leaving his own body a lifeless, empty shell.

He knelt down to the Scientist's corpse and said softly, "Thank you... for giving me this chance to start again with my friends." He took one last moment to look at his late creator before running out of the room and leaving the devastated building. He walked down the path towards the Library, passing by the debris, destroyed cars and Walkers, and human corpses.

Once he got to the destroyed gates of the Library gardens, 9 spotted a piece of black fabric from the flag of the country that the Emptiness once was. The fabric was big enough to go around him and cover up most of his body, but leaving a bit of room for his legs to move around properly. He secured the cloth and made his way over to the Library.

It was already nightfall, and it was a very dark night with the clouds covering the moon, blocking it's graceful light, making him hard to spot even in the Library. After entering the building, he quietly made his way around the scattered books and kept his light bulb staff turned off to avoid being seen in the dark. He reached the fountain and looked at the drain where his first friend was laid to rest. It wasn't going to be easy finding 2 in there, but to 9, failure was not an option, and that was his vow to not fail this new mission he had.

He went to the edge of the fountain and dipped the end of his staff in it to test the depth of its water. It reached halfway up the staff, but 9 didn't want to get wet out of fear his skin would be ruined if it was left to dry in the dark without light or warmth. Looking around, he found a stray cover page of a hardcover book. It was perfect for a raft.

9 grabbed the cover and pulled it towards the fountain. After setting it on the water, he got onto it and pushed against the walls of the fountain with the end of his staff to make it go forward. As his makeshift raft floated towards the drain, he could hear the clatter of footsteps approaching from close by.

* * *

7 returned to the Library that evening. She was already tired from her search for 9, and she desperately needed some rest. She made her way back to the globe until she heard the sound of water splashing. She followed the sound to the fountain, and she hid behind a large upright book when she saw a cloaked figure about to enter the drain.

She dashed over to get a closer look at the figure, but he already disappeared into the drain. All she could see from him was a bit of burlap skin, a light bulb staff, and she even noticed a zipper visible from the black fabric he was wearing.

"9?"

* * *

The drain was dark and there was nothing but water and trash floating everywhere. 9 turned on his staff to get a good look around the area to search for 2's lifeless body. He wasn't sure how long it took him, but he believed it would have been over a half an hour. He struggled to keep his balance on the raft to prevent himself from falling off, and the water had gotten a little deeper the more he ventured into the drain.

As he went deeper into the drain, he came across pages that came loose from the books in the Library and somehow ended up down the fountain's drain during the war. After drifting deeper, he noticed something laying on a small wooden piece at the end of the tunnel.

* * *

_**What did you all think so far? 9 is starting his mission to bring his friends back to life starting with his very first friend. Will he manage to bring 2 and the others back to life, and will he go back to 7 and the twins?**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	5. Chapter 5

9 rowed closer to the edge of the drain and took a good look at the figure laying limp on the wooden piece; it was 2!

The Stitchpunk elder laid serenely on his back with his arms crossed over his shoe leather chest. The coin placed over his eyes had somehow slipped off and landed next to his head, revealing his blank, lifeless eyes. The longer 9 stared at the body of his very first friend, the more emotional pain he felt from remembering his moments with the elder from when they first met in the Emptiness when he first awakened to when the elder had died from having his soul taken from the Fabrication Machine after 9 placed the Talisman inside it.

He wasn't going to make that same mistake again, and he wasn't going to let his friend go. Rowing closer to the body to avoid going overboard, 9 reached over to the lifeless body of the Stitchpunk elder and lifted him up in his arms. He got back onto his raft and sailed towards the Library, but then he began having second thoughts. He thought about 7 and the twins and wondered if they were waiting for him at the other side, and they'd be shocked seeing him carrying 2's dead body. In fact, he was certain that they wouldn't believe him if he told them about meeting the Scientist in spirit or how he will be able to revive their fallen friends. With those thoughts, he turned around and drifted to other side of the drain towards the sewers. The water wasn't flowing rapidly since it last rained weeks prior, so he was safe as he drifted down the waters. Once he reached the sewers, he rowed the raft through them to find the drains to lead him to the outside world.

After what seemed to be about an hour later, he found a light at the end of the tunnel. 9 made his way towards the exit, and once he hit the solid part of the drain, he got off the raft and dragged it with him while 2's body rested on it. Once he reached the end, he looked around outside and he found himself in what used to be a forest. All around him, all plant life was dead. Trees were brittle and leafless, bushes were bare and looked as if they were burnt by flames, and the ground was barren and the once green grass had turned an ugly shade of brown.

9 remembered the painting he saw back at the Library of how beautiful the world once was, and he'd give anything to actually see the beauty of that past world. He snapped back into reality and climbed out of the drain while carrying 2's body on his back, and he started making his way up the muddy slopes above the drain. When he was almost to the top, the mud below his feet made him slip, but he quickly grabbed onto a root coming out of the ground from one of the dead trees and stopped his fall as he had a tight grip on 2.

He reached the top of the slopes, and something surprised him; the moth had been resting on the top as if it was waiting for him. He cared less about the moth and more about the flower it was resting on. Instead of it being shriveled up and dead, it's stem was green and healthy and its petals were pure white like freshly fallen snow, although he may not have actually seen snow but he saw what it looked like in the books he read at the Library.

Seeing the moth and the flower gave 9 hope for him, and after giving one last glance at the moth along with a soft smile, he made his way through the forest with 2's body. After 9 left, the moth took flight and disappeared into a small cloud of ashes.

* * *

Back at the Library that evening, 7 was tucking the twins into their sock beds in the globe. But 3 and 4 weren't even tired. They were still worried about 9 and wondered if he was ever coming home. 7 assured them both as she tucked them in, "You both don't have to keep worrying. I'm sure he just needs some alone time."

But despite her assurance, she too was secretly worried about 9. Earlier she saw him going into the drains leading to the sewers that he told her about when he, the twins, 5, and 6 all gave 2 his funeral before going off to save her and 8 from the Fabrication Machine. Still, she hid her worries and smiled at the twins, "Just try to get some sleep, okay? We'll look for 9 tomorrow morning."

The twins nodded and 7 hugged them both and kissed them on their heads. The twins began to yawn and laid down in their socks, closed their eyes, and fell asleep. 7 watched them sleep for a bit with a soft and gentle smile, then she left the twins and went out of the globe, her smile turning into a sad expression. She began to worry more about 9 when he went into the fountain's water system, and he never came out of them after that.

She sighed sadly as she looked up at the moon, "9, I don't know whatever it is you're doing, but I hope you're not losing your mind."

* * *

Meanwhile, 9 was hiding away in an abandoned house. It was mostly blasted to bits from the war and it's walls and roof were blown off, but there was still enough of it to reside in temporarily.

He stared at 2's body, which was resting on a dark red brick. He had already taken off the fabric sewn onto him from when he was attached to the Seamstress, as well as a wire attached to his lower back that connected him to its tail to make it flash the lights from 2's eyes. Before he got started on him, he was worried that the Fabrication Machine had sliced 2 in half while creating the Seamstress, but his worries went away when he saw they were only sewn together tightly with his knees bent. Right now, the only things he was worried about was that his inner wiring could be fried from when the Seamstress flashed the bright lights from his eyes or his insides could be broken from when 7 stabbed him before removing him from the Seamstress's tail.

With the tools he found in the remains of the house, he prepared to examine 2 for any more repairs. He opened the elder's chest and checked to make sure his inner mechanisms were still intact. He found the spot where 7 stabbed him, and he was relieved that it narrowly avoided his spine and landed only an inch away from it. Better yet, a while ago, 9 learned their insides were protected by a special material when the Scientist created him and the others to protect them from the elements.

He smiled softly in relief at the elder's body. But his smile turned into sadness when he remembered when he activated the Fabrication Machine, and 2 shoved him away from the beams from the Talisman that claimed his soul and killed him, making him the first one to go.

"You saved my life from the Beast, and this is how I repaid you." he sighed sadly. He bowed his head and added, "I wanted to save you from the Beast in return, but I let you down back there. But not this time. When you come back to us, I will make things right again the way they used to be." He took out the Talisman and the wire, and he stared down at them for a while.

He was going to bring those he lost back to this world, whatever it takes.

* * *

_**So what did you guys think? 9 is planning to bring 2 back to life first, and 7 still believes that 9 will return. Little does 9 know that there is something mysterious about the moth following him around. Sorry for the long wait guys, but here's the latest chapter.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	6. Chapter 6

9 finished setting up the makeshift bed for 2 outside the house. 2's body was fixed up and ready for revival, and his arms were laying beside him while the wire was connected to him and the Talisman, which 9 was holding in his hands. It was already sunrise and 9 was tired from repairing 2 all night, but he didn't care. He was ready to see his friend again.

He looked up at the sky where clouds were gathering over him, then down at the Talisman. He sighed and said to himself, "I know I can do this."

Remembering the sequence the Scientist showed him, 9 pressed the metallic markings one by one slowly; first the lower left marking, then the top marking, and finally the lower right marking. After pressing the third one, the Talisman began to hum and shake, but 9 kept a tight grip on it. He aimed the Talisman to the sky, and the Talisman opened up and the green beams shot up into the sky.

The beams glowed warm with energy and they were getting stronger every second, but 9 kept his arms straight and he noticed the beams glowing lighter when they went back into the Talisman. He looked over without moving his head and noticed the wire glowing green as it streamed into 2's body. The beams returned to the Talisman and it closed back up again.

9 looked back at 2's body with a smile of hope, knowing that his first friend was about to come back to life. He took the wire out of 2's chest and waited for a few seconds, but there was no movement or breathing. 9's smile began to fade away into sadness. He stammered in disbelief, "I-I don't understand! I followed the directions he gave me. It should've worked." He took 2's hand and held it, but it felt cold and when he let go of it, it fell limp next to 2.

2 was still dead!

9 collapsed on his knees in shock and disbelief next to 2 and laid his head next to him. He cried, "2, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He got back up on his feet and looked at the Talisman at the end of the bed. He felt a mix of anger, grief, and sadness as he picked up the Talisman.

"You lied to me! You told me I could bring everyone back, but you lied!" he yelled at it in anger and grief. He dropped it to the ground, and he fell on his knees and began to cry. Although he didn't cry tears from his eyes like the humans did, he felt like there were tears flowing down his eyes and he could still feel sadness.

While 9 was crying, he failed to notice some movement coming from 2's body. His fingers started twitching, then his feet and his entire body. Finally, a small gasp for air came from the Stitchpunk elder's mouth and his eyes began to blink. 2 shot up from the bed and panted softly. He looked around and wondered where he was until he noticed 9 down on his knees and crying.

"9?"

Hearing the old man's voice, 9 gasped in alarm and slowly turned his head and his sadness disappeared and turned into joy to see his friend alive. He cried, "2?"

The old Stitchpunk nodded, "Yes, lad. It's me." 9 felt his heart racing when he got back on his feet and ran back to the bed. 2 climbed off the bed and tried to keep his balance when he set his feet on the ground. 9 looked at 2 for a second, then he embraced the Stitchpunk elder. 2 returned the embrace with a smile and rubbed 9's back.

"I can't believe it. He really was right the whole time, and you're back." 9 cried softly as he released himself from the embrace. 2 smiled, "I knew you could this. He was right about you."

9's eyes opened wide in curiosity. He asked 2, "Wait, how do you know about this?"

2 nodded, "Back in the Heavens, our creator told us of your task, and we were ready to return home." 9 had no idea that the Scientist told 2 and the other deceased about him, but he didn't care. His first friend was back in his life, and a part of the void in his heart had been patched up a little. He embraced 2 once again and didn't want to let go of him for a long time.

"I'm so sorry I got you killed. It was stupid of me to activate the Machine." 9 sighed. "I just didn't know what would happen after I put the Talisman in it. Please forgive me."

2 let go of him and smiled softly as he placed his hand on his shoulder, "I do, 9. You just didn't know a thing about the war or the humans. And you were still learning because you have already awakened by then, correct?" 9 nodded. 2 continued, "Well, what's done is done, and now the past is all behind us."

9 shook his head, "No, not until everyone is back here. I need to get you back to 7 and the twins in the Library while I look for everyone else."

"7? Do she and the twins know about this?" 2 asked him.

9 shook his head and responded with regret, "No. In fact, a couple days ago, I couldn't stand the painful memories of you and the others dying because of me, so I ran away from home so that they can be safe from me. I didn't go back because 7 would never believe me about you or the others coming home." 2 said to him, "Well, now she'll believe you now that I'm back. She and the twins need to know."

9 sighed. If he returned home with 2, things would be much better, right? No. He still had a long way to go before his slate would be cleaned and his heart will be filled again. He looked over at the moth, which had for some reason stayed nearby him and watched him revive 2, and it was resting on a slab of concrete that was positioned at the direction of the Library. Then he made his final decision.

"I'm going home... with you."

* * *

Back at the Library, 7 woke up early before the twins did. She watched the twins stirring a bit in their sleep and smiled at them before jumping off the shelf they slept on and landed on the ground with ease. She stepped out of the globe and looked up at the hole in the ceiling, noticing the sun coming up. Her mind was more focused on searching for 9. She barely got any sleep last night due to thinking about him and his sanity.

The silence in the Library was broken when she heard the sound of footsteps clanking on the floors in the distance. She heard them coming from the entrance of the Library.

Recognizing the footsteps, she ran towards the entrance with a hopeful smile on her face and her heart racing. She stopped on top of a pile of books when she saw two small figures walking past the books; one that had a red cloth over them, and the other she instantly recognized and made her heart race faster. 7 jumped off the pile and raced towards the two.

She crashed into 9, nearly knocking him off his feet, and embraced him tightly. She cried, "9! You're back! I was so worried about you." 9 returned the embrace and smiled softly, "I'm so sorry I ran off, 7. But I came back to show you something." He turned to the figure under the cloth and nodded assuringly. 7 gasped out loud and she felt her heart stop when the figure removed the cloth and showed himself.

7 stood still in confusion and joy when she saw 2 standing in front of her, alive and well. She didn't know how long she stood there in silence, but after a minute or two, she managed to let her words escape her mouth.

"2? You're..."

She couldn't finish her sentence and exclaimed, "I don't believe it! You're alive!" She came over to 2 and embraced him tightly, almost knocking the old man off his feet. 2 didn't know how to react. It had been so long since he saw 7 besides his last time seeing her at the Factory. He returned her embrace as she started crying softly.

"I missed you so much." she sighed.

"Ah, lass. When you left, it was like a hole in my heart that couldn't be mended. It's so good to see you again." 2 said to her as he remained in her embrace.

"I'm so happy you're back." 7 smiled at him, but then her joy turned into confusion. She moved away from 2 and exclaimed, "But how is this even possible?! You died, but how come you're alive again?" 2 reassured her, "7, you're not going to believe this, but we're coming home."

"We? You mean the others are coming back to earth?" 7 said in disbelief. 2 nodded, "Yes, but you should ask 9 about it, because he's the one who brought me back." 7 looked at 9, and she asked him, "9, how did you do this, and what is he talking about?"

9 explained how he ran away from home and into the outskirts of the Emptiness, meeting the Scientist in spirit and learning that the others haven't completed their mission on earth and he sent him to find those who lost their souls to the Fabrication Machine and bring them back to life with the Talisman. 7 couldn't believe what she was hearing from him.

"Are you crazy?" 7 said to him. "You can't pull off a stunt like that! It's impossible. Haven't you seen what happened to everyone? 6's body's in that trench, 1 and 5's are probably crushed, and 8's might be burnt to a crisp." 9 protested, "But there's still hope that they're still out there."

"9 is right, 7." 2 added. "We're going to look for everyone's bodies, even if it does sound impossible. After all, I am back, aren't I?" 7 thought for a minute, then she turned away from 9 and 2. 9 took her hand and said to her as he put his hand on her chin, "7, please. This could be our chance for all of us to start all over again."

7 looked at him, then back at the globe, thinking about the twins sleeping in their beds. After some thinking, 7 heaved a huge sigh, "Alright. But I'm coming with you to help you. You can't do this alone."

"Yes." 2 nodded in agreement. "We will help you every step of the way, and you and I can make up for all the time I should have spent with you." 9 smiled at the feeling of 2 being with him, but then his smile turned to fear when he had a flashback of 2 getting killed by the Fabrication Machine when he activated it using the Talisman and seeing his dead body on the ground.

9 snapped out of his trance and panted heavily. He said to 2 as he backed away in fear, "No! No, you can't. I'm not going to risk losing you again." He was about to run out of the corridors when he said sadly, "Good-bye, guys." 2 and 7 didn't know what was coming over 9, and 7 called out to him as she tried to stop him, "9, wait! You can't do this alone. What part did you not understand about that?" 9 thought for a moment, remembering that 7 told him he couldn't do his mission alone. He sighed and said to her, "Get 2 to the globe, and meet me at the remains of Sanctuary later."

"Alright." 7 nodded. "Just be careful out there."

9 nodded at her with an understanding smile. Before leaving, he told 7, "Oh, and by the way, tell 3 and 4 I said 'hi', and I'll be back to see them again later."

"Don't worry, I will."

9 smiled at her, then he darted off and went back into the Emptiness. 2 watched him leave, and he smiled with a sigh, "He can do this. He's just like me, only younger and braver." He looked over and noticed 7 walking away, and the Stitchpunk elder watched as she sat down on a book.

2 knew something was on the warrior's mind. He walked over to the female Stitchpunk and sat beside her. He asked her, "7? What's wrong, lass?"

7 sighed and answered without turning her head to look at him, "When I left with the twins away from you and the others long ago, I could never forgive myself. If I didn't leave, then 1 wouldn't send you out to die and you wouldn't be dead just like the others." She looked at the Stitchpunk elder and added, "You have no idea how much grief and regret I've bottled up inside. Even the twins didn't get to see you one last time when you died." She rubbed her arms as if she was freezing and she looked down at her feet in shame.

2 scooted closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder. He assured her with some comforting words, "It's alright, 7. All that matters is that I knew you were still alive and well, and now you're the strongest fighter I've ever seen after watching you take down the beast." He remembered when he, 5, and 9 were cornered by the Cat Beast until 7 came and saved their lives and sliced its head clean off.

2 continued, "I missed you more than you missed me when you were gone. You were like the daughter I never had." 7 smiled at him, feeling so much better. They jerked their heads up when they heard the sound of clattering coming from the globe. 7 gasped softly, remembering about the twins.

Taking 2's hand, she went back to the globe with 2 and found the twins awake and wandering around the globe. She called to them, getting their attention, "Guys, there's someone here who you'll be happy to see again." The twins looked over at 7, and they gasped silently when they saw 2 standing next to her. The twins happily ran over to them and hugged 2.

2 chuckled as he returned their embrace, "Hello, twins. It's great to see you again, too." 7 watched the touching moment and smiled. She could feel the hole in her mechanical heart heal inside. She said outloud, "If only 5 could see this, and maybe even 1 will have a better perspective this time."

2 looked at 7 and laughed, "1. Wait until that old goat gets here. He's going to have so much explaining to do for sending me out to die on that ridiculous scouting mission." 7 didn't know how he knew 1 sent him out to die, but she laughed and nodded in agreement.

* * *

The Cat Beast sat on top of a beam in the factory and watched the sun rise in the horizon. Something caught its eye when it saw strange green beams shooting into the skies. The creature figured it came from the Talisman that the Stitchpunks kept.

Jumping off of the beam, the Cat Beast ran out of the old factory and made its way towards the source of the lights. The beast arrived at the spot just as the sunlight was shining on the Emptiness, but it saw nothing but a makeshift bed and small footprints. There were two sets of footprints on the ground. The Cat Beast sensed one of the survivors was here, and it recognized the other set of footprints as the one it took to its master. It followed the footprints to their owners' destination, but they were cut off at piles of debris and scrap metal.

The beast roared furiously that its prey got away before it even arrived and slashed its claws at the bed, destroying it.

* * *

_**So how was that? Our beloved inventor 2 is back and reunited with our heroes, but 9 feels worried that he'll lose him again. And now the Cat Beast knows of 2 existance. 9's next destination gives us a clue to who he's going to revive next. Can you uys guess who it is?**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	7. Chapter 7

9 stood in front of the destroyed cathedral that was once known as Sanctuary, called by 1 when everyone was alive until it was burnt to the ground after everyone was attacked by the Winged Beast. He felt a deep feeling of regret as he walked around the stone rubble and the charred wooden beams that collapsed to the ground from the fire; he felt like he was responsible for the destruction of his friends' home. Using an old roller skate he found that survived the fire, he looked around the ruins for some things that haven't been damaged in the fire, and so far he had found an old Bible that had only a small blackened spot on its cover, which he was going to give to the twins to catalog, spools of thread that were still in good shape, a pair of scissors for cutting fabric and string that was once in 2's workshop, an unopened bottle of ink which once belonged to 6, 8's scissor blade and salt shaker mask that he left behind after the Winged Beast was destroyed, 1's cape and staff, and some of 2's tools and equipment from his workshop.

He continued scavenging the ruins until something shiny caught his eye under the rubble. He went over to the object and removed the rubble from on top of it. He began to tear up inside when he found the telescope from the Watchtower, the very first thing that 5 and 2 made together. He remembered his first and only time in the Watchtower with 5, and he never got the chance to let 5 show him the rest of the tower before they left to go save 2 from the Cat Beast and after the cathedral burned to the ground.

"It looks awful, doesn't it?"

9 turned around when he heard 7's voice from behind him. He found her standing next to the roller skate and looking at the stuff he found. 9 nodded sadly, "It's my fault your home got burnt down. Does it bring back memories of before I even came here?"

7 looked at him and said, "9, this was never your fault. The Machine and that winged creature were the ones responsible. Besides, this place wasn't really home to me anyway. It was more like a prison I never wanted to be in." She took 1's staff in her hands.

She added, "When 1 led us here, we felt safe from the war at first. But as soon as the war ended and the Beast came, he began to change, and he turned into a tyrant than a protector, and he became the coward he always was. He wouldn't let us go outside to let us explore the world or go collect things we wanted anytime unless we were ordered to go scouting. All he ever did was sit on his throne, acting like a pharaoh of Egypt, while he locked us up without fighting the Beast."

She put the staff back on the roller skate and came over to him. 9 asked her, staying on the subject, "So then you were the first to stand up to him?" 7 nodded, "Yes, I was the only one who stood up to him before you came here. It was before I left everyone." She remembered one of her last days at the cathedral before she and the twins left to live in the Library.

"I found 1 ordering 8 to beat up 6 for still drawing those markings on the Talisman after he took the drawing from him and tore it up. Then he grabbed 6 by the key around his neck and threw him aside and was about to punch him. I couldn't let him do something like that, so I ran over to them and stood between the two, and I refused to move out of the way. And guess what 1 did next."

9 guessed, "He ordered 8 to beat you instead?"

7 nodded, "8 didn't even hesitate to throw a punch at me. First he hit me in the face, then he grabbed me and threw me down and started kicking me around. But I refused to give in, and the more I resisted the pain, the more beatings 1 ordered. After a bit, 8 stopped beating me and he and 1 left me there in pain until 6 brought 2 and 5 over to me and they helped me get to 2's workshop to heal me. Before I passed out from the beatings, I noticed 1 looking at me with his same frown but then it turned to something that read regret." 7 rubbed her arms and thighs, showing 9 where she got beaten.

She continued as she rubbed her arms, "It hurt for a couple of days, but I learned to resist the pain in me." She and 9 both turned around when they heard a familiar voice behind them.

"I remember how badly hurt you were when 5 and I healed you."

2 came over to them with the twins as they flickered their lights in sadness at the loss of their first home. 7 frowned at them, "2! You and the twins were supposed to stay in the globe while 9 and I were gone." 2 said to her, "I know, 7, but it was like you said to 9 earlier; you both can't do this alone. Now that we're going to bring everyone back, we're all in this together." He looked at 9 and said to him, "Lad, I know you're afraid of losing me again, but now you know not to let history repeat itself again."

9 thought about what he said. He didn't want to lose 2 again after everything that's happened in the past, or worse, lose 7 and the twins. After some thinking, 9 sighed, "Alright. We're all in this together, but because I'm the one who started this, I'm the one who needs to bring everyone back. Those were the words the Scientist told me."

"Very well, lad." 2 said in agreement. Looking at the red cape and staff, he guessed, "I assume we'll be bringing 1 back next?" 9 replied, "Yeah. When I was about to revive you, I decided to bring the oldest back first before the younger."

2 smiled, "That's nice. Let's get this stuff home before we go get 1." Seeing a rope that was under the rubble and unburnt, he tied is to the roller skate, and 7 and the twins helped him move it out of the rubble. Once is was on solid ground, 2 and 9 started pulling the roller skate together and they headed back to the Library with it as 7 walked next to the skate and the twins rode on it together.

As they were walking back to the Library, 2 looked at 9 and said to him, "You know, before I came back to earth, the Scientist told me to take care of you and heal your wounds as you do your task." 9 said to him, "He told you that? But I'm not hurt anymore. In fact, I barely got hurt at all since you've been gone.

2 shook his head, "I mean your emotional wounds. He tells me you've been through a lot when you fought the Machine. I don't mean to rub salt in the wound, but it must have been really painful seeing those you once knew die before you," He sighed, "...including me." 9 nodded sadly, "When you and 5 died, I felt like a part of me had been torn out, and I knew it was all my fault. I keep trying to tell myself that the past is all behind me, but I was still pained by those memories ever since, and they wouldn't go away and leave me alone." He felt like shedding tears, even though he didn't make any of them being made of metal and fabric when he remembered causing the deaths of 2 and 5.

He sighed, "When we gave your body a proper burial and I set it afloat down the drain, I kept thinking to myself that I killed you. I was the one that caused everyone to die, and I made the Machine do this to you. I murdered you, and I never forgave myself." He stopped and began to sob. "And I knew you never forgave me for it."

2 knew how 9 was feeling right now. Even though he was disappointed that 9 placed the Talisman in the Machine even when he didn't know what would happen, he understood that he had just awakened that day and didn't even know about the world at the time, and he couldn't stay mad at his new friend forever or hold a grudge against him. 2 put down the rope he was pulling and placed his hand on 9's shoulder. He said to the young Stitchpunk, "9, listen to me now and listen well. You are not a murderer, and you did not mean for this to happen. You were just like an infant trying to know the world around it, and now you know not to make that mistake again. Remember, the past is in the past and everything will be fine again once this is over. Do you understand?"

9 listened to 2's words, and he felt a little better. He nodded with a soft yet sad smile, "Thanks, 2." He put his hands around the Stitchpunk elder and embraced him. 7 and 3 and 4, who have been overhearing their conversation, watched the tender moment between the two friends. The twins noticed 9's sad smile and came over him to give him a comforting embrace, and 7 followed them over and she embraced him too. After a while, everyone let go of 9 and he smiled at them, "Thanks guys. You have no idea how much it means to me to be with you all."

7 said with a gentle smile, "9, we're always here for you. Don't forget that, okay?" 9 nodded, and they continued their way back home. They reached the Library by sunset and once they reached the globe, they took the stuff off of the roller skate and stored it on the shelves. 2 had already set up a new workshop and he stored the scissors and thread 9 found next to the wall along with 1's cape and staff and the telescope. In the Stitchpunks' quarters, he had a bed made up of an old slipper with some pin cushions to use as pillows.

Soon everyone was starting to fall asleep. Everyone but 9. He sat on the edge of his quarters, his feet dangling over the edge, and stared at the crescent moon and the stars surrounding it. For some reason, there were now four stars surrounding it instead of five. He still believed they were his fallen friends surrounding it, and the one missing had been 2. He began to feel his eyes drooping and he let out a small yawn. After fixing 2 up all night the other day, he desperately needed some rest, but he was still so afraid of having the same dream that haunted him.

"Can't sleep?"

He turned his head when he heard a voice from behind him. He found 7 walking over to him and she sat down next to him. 9 sighed, "Not really. I've been pretty tired these past couple of days from lack of sleep. I want to sleep, but I'm scared of having the same dream again." 7 took his hand and held it tight as she looked at him. She said to him, "9, it's alright. It's just a nightmare, and those Machines can't harm you. They're dead."

9 replied, "But this dream was a little different." He sighed sadly, "The Fabrication Machine was going to kill me, and 2 and the others were looking at me as if they wanted me to die, and they all abandoned me, especially 5. Before the Machine could kill me in the dream, 5 called me a killer of our kind, and he angrilly blamed me for his death and the others' and left me to die. I thought I lost my best friend not only when the Fabrication Machine killed him, but he also never forgave me for everything." He looked at 7 and sighed sadly, "That's why I ran off. I couldn't stand the fact that everyone I meet dies in the end, and I thought you and the twins would die because of me."

"9, do you even hear yourself?" 7 said. "I know it's hard, but we do forgive you for everything that's happened. And remember what 2 said, you're not a murderer and you didn't mean to have everyone dead." 9 sadly smiled at her, "I appreciate your kindness 7." He kissed her lips and they left their spots to their bed. As 9 got comfy, 7 wrapped her arms around him and snuggled closer to him.

"Just try and get some sleep, okay? You worry me too much when you're upset and depressed." she said to him. 9 replied, accepting her gentle embrace, "I will, 7. Thanks for everything."

7 corrected him, "No, thank you 9\. You brought 2 back to us, and we are more than grateful for it." She kissed his cheek and yawned, "Good night, 9."

"Good night, 7." 9 replied as 7 fell asleep. Before falling asleep, he felt a bit of happiness from the day he went through with 2 being alive again and being back in his beloved 7's embrace, along with those words of support and kindness from his friends. With 7's warm and gentle embrace and her gentle breathing, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Before falling asleep, he could have sworn he saw the same moth on the other side of the globe, staying there as if watching them the whole time.

* * *

**_So how was that? 9 is still feeling upset about his friends not being forgiven of him, but he feels a sense of hope and happiness from their support and compassion. This is also for all you 2 fans out there; this is just me showing that even though 9 did activate the Fabrication Machine and had 2 be the first of the Stitchpunks to go, he was still young and learning, and 2 would always be kind enough to forgive him for it. And yes, I know I keep mentioning the moth that keeps following the Stitchpunks around, but by the very end you'll all know why it seems important._**

**_9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton._**


	8. Chapter 8

**First of all, thank you all for the great reviews you've posted for this story. You have no idea how much every good review means to me, and I worked so hard on them and I poured my heart into every chapter of this story. I'm very grateful for them, and keep it up with all the kind reviews.**

**-BlackWolfStar15**

The next morning, the Stitchpunks left the Library and ventured into the Emptiness. They reached the outskirts of the ruins and 9 looked at the horizon that showed the battlefield. Looking at them, he remembered the first time he ventured into them when he went with 5 to save 2, and the last time when he and 7, 3 and 4, and 1 faced the Fabrication Machine one last time.

2 placed his hand on his shoulder and said to him, "You won't be doing this alone, lad. We're here for you." They looked at 7 and the twins, who were standing right behind him, with 7 having her skullmet on her head and 3 and 4 by her side. 7 nodded in agreement, "You won't do this alone, not without us by your side." 9 smiled at her, knowing that she and their friends will be there for him to support him.

9 looked out to the horizon, and he said to the others, "Let's go then."

They made their way into the barren wastelands of the battlefield and began their trek to where they won the battle against the Fabrication Machine. After a long time of walking, the Stitchpunks arrived at the remains of the Fabrication Machine. Looking at it, 9 still felt the pain in his heart with the horrible memories of his fallen friends. He had seen everyone before him die to the Fabrication Machine, starting with 2 and ending with 1. He didn't dare go to the Fabrication Machine, for the memories of his friends dying pained him and the Machine still haunting him even after he destroyed it using the Talisman and got everyone's souls out of it.

"It's alright 9."

He shook the memories off when he heard 7's voice and felt her hand on his shoulder. 9 felt a little better, but then he started getting troubled by a new thought. He said to 7, "I'm not sure if you're right about this, but if 1's body is crushed by the Machine, it would be impossible to bring him back." 7 assured her, "But you also said that there's still hope he's still in one piece."

9 smiled at her, knowing she might be right and remembering the words she said to her before. He looked back at the Fabrication Machine's remains and made his way over to it, and the others followed behind him. They looked around the large Machine for 1's body. After twenty minutes, they found no sign of the elder's body, but they never gave up on their search. The twins were looking around the side of the Machine when they noticed some fabric underneath it. 3 said to his twin sister through the lights in his eyes, _Is that him?_

4 flickered back to her brother, _Let's check it out._

They scurried towards the Machine and looked closely at that they saw, and what they saw shocked them; 1's body! 3 flickered to 4, _Go get the others. We'll need some help getting the body out._

4 nodded and she ran off to find the others while 3 stayed behind and watched over 1's empty shell; the body was still intact, except for his hand being mangled and the bottom half of his legs were trapped under some metal. 3 went into the Machine and tried to pull the metal piece off of his deceased leader, but it was too heavy for him to lift up. He left the body for a minute just as his sister came back with the other Stitchpunks.

9 looked at 1's body still in one piece, and he smiled at her and her brother, "Great job, you two." The twins smiled, then 3 pulled 9 towards 1 and pointed to the metal piece on his legs. 9 lifted the metal a little, but he felt it was heavy. 9 looked at 7 and 2 and said to them, "This thing is heavy. 7, 2, I will to lift it together, and the twins can pull him out." The Stitchpunks all nodded, and everyone came over to him to help him. 9 and 7 lifted the piece off the ground together a little while 2 placed a part of the Machine's remains between between the piece and the ground. Then he went over to 9 and 7, and 9 said to them, "Ready?"

The female and elder Stitchpunks nodded.

"Lift!" 9 said, and the three friends lifted the metal up off the ground together while the twins grabbed 1's arms and pulled him out. The Stitchpunks let go of the metal piece and they all got out of the Machine's remains. The twins let go of 1's arms and he laid limp on the ground.

2 inspected the body and felt around his legs to check to see if anything was broken. Then he looked at his mangled hand. He looked at the others and said to them, "His legs are fine. His legs don't feel broken, but I'm afraid he might start limping when he walks again. As for his hand, it can be repaired. All I need is some metal to replace the mangled parts." The twins went around the Fabriction Machine and catalogued the remains, then they went back with some pieces of metal the looked almost looked like the same type in 1's hand.

2 looked at the metal pieces they found and smiled at the twins, "These will work nicely. Good job, lad and lass." He patted their heads and they smiled back at him. 9 smiled at them, but his smile disappeared when he looked at 1, the elder who sacrificed himself for him to take the Talisman from the Machine. He remembered the very last time he saw him when he left the Talisman in his soul form, and instead of still being cold and mean, 1 had finally shown some respect and approval to him by putting his hand on his shoulder and smiling at him. His memories faded into when he first met the other Stitchpunks and 1 wasn't very welcoming of 9, and he only saw him as a threat to their group's safety.

9 brushed his memories aside and said to everyone, "Come on, guys. We can't stay here." Everyone nodded and 7 came over to him to help him carry 1 home. 7 lifted him up by the legs while 9 picked him up from under his arms and they carried him away while everyone else followed and the twins held onto her spear and followed them with the metal pieces to fix 1's hand.

Along the way back to the Library, they found 2's roller skate, which he was once using as a wagon to carry all the stuff he found when he first met 9 in the Emptiness, and 2 and the twins took the roller skate with them to use as an extra carrier for some supplies they needed and other things they could collect. The Stitchpunks returned to the Library, and 2 placed his roller skate with the other one from Sanctuary while 7 and 9 brought 1's body up to the workshop. Using some small books they found, they made a small gurney for 1 and placed him upon it to be ready to be fixed.

When 2 came into his workshop with the two small pieces of metal and went over to where his tools were resting and grabbed a pair of scissors, the broken head of a hammer, and some nuts and bolts he found on his way back to the Library. 9 watched as he prepared to repair 1, but then the Stitchpunk elder said to him, "It's alright 9. You just go and stay with 7 and the twins."

9 shook his head, "No. I think it's best if I help too. I-" 2 cut him off, "Not another word 9. You stop worrying about this until later. Right now, you have three others to go back to and take care of." He put his hand on 9's shoulder and said to him, "It'll be alright. I'll let you know when he's good to go."

9 nodded, then he left the workshop as 2 started getting to work by cutting the metal into smaller pieces and slamming the hammer tip on the metal to shape it. 9 climbed onto the lift and made his way to one of the shelves where 7 and the twins were. He went over to them, and he said to 7, "2's working on 1 right now. He'll let us know when he's finished."

7 smiled at him, then 9 looked at the twins and patted their heads. He smiled, "Nice job finding him, guys." The twins smiled back at him. 9 looked at 7 and smiled at her, "You wanna go for a walk around the Library?" 7 nodded, "Sure. I could use one right now." They both got on the lift and the twins followed them. 3 pushed the switch back and the lift lowered to the ground. Once it stopped, the Stitchpunks walked off of it, and 9 and 7 left the globe while 3 and 4 stood by the entrance and watched them leave together.

As they walked, they passed by the fountain, the water still and crystal clear. Although the memories of burying 2 in it still brought a little bit of pain in his heart, 9 knew that it was all in the past now, and everything was going to be okay once everyone comes back. 7 broke the silence in the Library and said to him, "9, I'm glad you're doing this for us. Bringing everyone back."

9 looked at her with a small smile, but then his smile faded away and he said sadly, "But what if you're right? What if we can't bring everyone back? I might not be able to see 5 again." 7 put her hand on his shoulder and assured him, "9, you can do this. Remember, we'll be here for you when you do this. And I know you'll see 5 again after you bring him back." 9 looked at her and asked, "You think so?"

7 nodded, "I know so. And we have faith in you."

9 smiled at her, and they came together into a kiss. They broke apart and continued their walk around the Library. As they made their way back to the globe a while later, they walked past the painting of the world before the War of the Machines, and 9 stared at it for a bit. 7 noticed him staring at the painting and asked him, "What are you thinking about, 9?" 9 looked at her and replied, "Nothing, just thinking about what it was like. I mean, how beautiful this world once was before the Fabrication Machine destroyed everything."

7 thought for a second, then she said to him with a smile, "I've got something to show you back at the globe." She took his hand and they went back to the globe. They found the twins scrolling through their big book and looking at some of the pages. 7 went over to them and whispered something to them. The twins nodded at her, then they started turning the pages until they found one with pictures of trees and flowers and some leaves of different shapes and sizes taped onto it. 9 looked at the page with amazement, seeing more plant life for the first time besides the flower he had seen after leaving the drains.

Then the twins took him over to the lift and they activated it to bring them towards the shelf they were heading to. They stopped and 9 looked around with his eyes filled with wonder.

The whole shelf was filled with everything related to plants and flowers! There were encyclopedias on flowers, plants, and trees, fact sheets about flowers and plants, and preserved flowers in frames. 9 smiled, "7, this is incredible!"

7 smiled at him, "I thought you might be amazed by this. When we first came here, 3 and 4 went around the Library looking for those books. They wanted to learn more about different forms of life, and they started off with plant life. They tried looking for flowers in the Emptiness to catalog, but all they could find was shriveled up dead flowers. We were lucky enough to find this frame of preserved flowers." She chuckled as they went over to the frame and looked at the flowers in it. Their colours all ranged from blue, red, green, yellow, white, and even pink.

9 ran his hand over the glass frame, then he looked at 7 and said to her, "Well, this may sound a bit crazy, but when I brought 2 out of the sewers, I found that moth sitting on a flower. But it was different somehow." 7 raised her brow and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, the flower was in bloom instead of shriveled up or wilting. It was in perfect shape and still fresh, and it's petals were as white as your skin." 9 replied. "It reminded me of you, and it was as if when the moth was sitting on it, it was giving me hope for both humanity and us, that we'd all be together again. But then I suddenly began going back and forth from doubting myself to believing in myself."

7 reassured him, "9, we'll get through this together." 9 looked at her with doubtful eyes, and she added, "We can do this." She took his hand and held it tight, and 9's smiled returned. They heard the twins going down the lift after 2 called for them. The elder talked to them for a brief second, then he got onto the lift and the twins brought him over to 9 and 7. After stopping the lift, 2 stepped off of it and smiled at them.

"He's all set now."

* * *

_**So how was that? The Stitchpunks find 1's body and 9 is about to bring the eldest Stitchpunk back to life, but he begins doubting himself about it, but he's not alone in this. Again everyone, thanks so much for the good reviews; I really appreciate them.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton**_.


	9. Chapter 9

2 led the Stitchpunks back to the globe and took them to his workshop. They went over to the table where 1's limp body was and looked at the deceased elder. He lay there peacefully with his arms by his side, and his hand was as good as new. 9 knew that 2 put a lot of work into fixing the mangled hand, and while the new metal was a bit darker than how his hand originally looked, they still looked the same as they were before getting destroyed.

9 admired the work on 2's repairing, and he smiled when he remembered 5's words from when they first met; '_If 2 were here, he would've done a better job_.' He never got to see any of 2's fixing skills on anyone except 5's eye, but now he saw the work he did on the leader who sent the elder out to do a scouting mission but really sent him out to die. 2 noticed his smile and asked him, "What do you think, lad?" 9 shook his head to snap out of his daydream and asked, "Huh?"

"I did the best I could to restore his hand the way it was before it was destroyed." 2 explained. 9 looked at him and smiled as he nodded, "I think you did an amazing job."

2 smiled back at him, then he said to everyone, "Now then, shall we get him ready to live again?" Everyone nodded in agreement and 2, 7, and 9 put 1 on a wooden board and carried him carefully towards the lift as the twins carried his things and brought their friends down to the bottom floor. Once the lift stopped, the Stitchpunks got off the lift and headed out of the globe. They made their way over to the Library entrance and passed the fountain. 9 was remembering when he and the Stitchpunks buried 2 in the fountain, and it felt like he and his friends were doing the same thing with 1.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize he stopped walking. 2 looked at him and asked, "Is there something wrong, lad? You seem to have lost your train of thought." 9 snapped back into reality and said, "It's nothing. I'm fine."

They continued walking until they reached the exit, and they walked into the gardens to prepare the revival of their fallen leader. They found a lone brick that was blown off the wall of the Library during the war and set their leader on top if it while the twins set his cape and staff beside his feet. Next, 2 opened 1's chest up by loosening the buckles on his chest and placed the wire in the elder's body, then connected the budded end with the Talisman.

9 took the Talisman from him and stood an inch or two away from the elder leader. He looked at the old man who once saw him as the enemy as he held the Talisman in his hands and ran his fingers over it. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at 2. He nodded assuring, "It's alright, lad." The elder gestured him to looked over and see 7 and the twins looking at him and nodding, showing that they trust him that he knows what he's doing and they're here for him.

9 started the sequence by pressing the metallic marking on the Talisman like he did with 2. Starting with the lower left marking, then the top marking, and finally the lower right marking. Suddenly, after a few seconds, the Talisman began to shake and glow, but 9 kept a tight grip on it and aimed it to the sky. In an instant, the three beams shot out once again and into the sky through the clouds.

7 and the twins watched in shock and awe as the beams glowed brighter with energy and the wire glowed green as some green essence entered 1's body. After a few seconds, the beams went back into the Talisman and it closed up again. 9 removed the wire from 1's chest and fastened his buckles to close him back up. He stood a few inches away from the brick and he and the other Stitchpunks waited to see if what he did worked. After a minute or two, 1 didn't move and 7 was getting worried. She said to 9, "Nothing's happening. Something must be wrong." 9 reassured her, "It's alright, just give it a little bit. I didn't understand the first time either."

They waited a little longer until finally, 1's hands and feet began to twitch and he let out a huge gasp for air. He began to try and lift himself up and 9 came over to support him. The old Stitchpunk groaned as he sat up on the brick, and he looked at 9 with one of his old stern looks. He worried that he was still angry at the young Stitchpunk, but much to his surprise, the old Stitchpunk gave him a small smile and said to him, "Hello again, boy."

9 smiled back at him, then he got off the brick so that 1 could get off and walk on his own. 1 winced as he moved his legs and the weight from them began to send a twinge of pain through his spine. 9 asked him with concern, "Are you okay?"

1 nodded with another wince, "I'm alright. My legs are just a bit hurt, that's all."

"Your legs got caught under something heavy." 9 said to him. He didn't want to tell him that he was caught under the Fabrication Machine out of fear it would scare the elder; he had seen enough of the evil Machine before he died. 9 added, "2 said you'd be limping for the next couple of days, but you'll be fine. He even fixed your hand." He gestured him to look at his once mangled hand, and 1 looked at is as he wiggled his fingers in admiration at 2's work.

He looked over at the old inventor and smiled at him, "Hello, old friend." 2 smiled back at him. Then 1 started to take a step forward and 9 stayed close to him in case he fell. He winced every time he limped, and after taking a step, he let out a gasp of pain and lost his footing. 9 caught him just before he fell to the ground. 1 looked up at 9 as he held him up and smiled in content at him, "Thank you, 9."

9 helped him stand up again, and he handed 1 his staff and cape. He said to 1 as he put the cape over him, "You might want to put this on." 1's eyes widened with joy as he smiled, "My cape! How did you find it?" 9 said to him, "I went back to our old home and found it in the rubble along with some other things that survived the fire. Consider it as a way of the both of us making amends and starting over again since we both got off on the wrong foot."

1 looked at his cape, and he said to 9, "Well, I think we did too. And it looks like I have to make amends with a few others." He looked over at 7 and the twins. The warrior was giving him a half smile and the twins were standing behind her nervously. Using his staff, he walked over to them and stood in front of 7.

They stared at each other for about a minute, and 7 said to him, "Welcome home 1."

"It's nice to see you again after all this time 7." 1 said to her. He looked over her shoulder, seeing the twins behind her, and said to them with a half smile, "And you too, 3 and 4." The twins looked at him with curious looks, seeing how nicer 1 has now become. They flinched a little when 1 reached over to them, but 7 stopped him and grabbed his wrists. She said to him with a frown of warning, "Don't touch them 1. I still don't trust you around them."

1 looked at her with a stern look and said to her, "Please 7. I'm not going to hurt them." 7 was hesitant to trust him. But after some thinking, she took a deep breath and said, "Alright, but just this once, alright?" She loosened her grip on his wrists and 1 reached over to the twins again, and much everyone's surprise, mostly 7, he pet the twins on their hooded heads. He said to the with a soft smile, "You two haven't changed a bit since."

9 couldn't help but smile at the moment between 1 and the twins. The man who once thought of him as the enemy had become a changed man.

He looked over at the horizon for a moment and noticed the sun was starting to set. He said to everyone, "Hey, guys. It's getting late. We should head back inside now." Everyone nodded in agreement and 9 and 7 guided everyone back to the Library while 2 and the twins helped 1 walk. As they walked, 2 punched 1 on the arm, making the leader glare at him.

"How dare you do that, you old fool?" 1 glared. 2 responded with a frown "That was for sending me on that wild goose chase. I knew all along you were trying to send me out to die, but I didn't say a word about it because I needed to find more essentials for my inventions anyway." 1 was surprised that he knew the truth about why he sent him to scout the same day he first found 9 when he first awoke.

1 just shrugged, "I deserve that."

"Oh, yes. But that was the silent treatment I just gave you." 2 warned him. "If you try sending me or one of us out to die, I won't be nice about it next time." He frowned at him for a bit, then he smiled at him, "But, it's good to see you, old friend."

"It's good to see you too." 1 smiled back at the elder who used to be his friend during the wars and before he grew overprotective. "And amazing work on my hand here." he added, showing his hand. 2 thanked him, and they all continued making their way back to the globe.

* * *

_**So what did you guys think? The leader of the Stitchpunks is back, and only 5, 6, and 8 are left to come back to life. Sorry I took so long on this chapter; I was busy with a lot of things, but I'm glad I managed to get this next chapter done.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, 9 woke up earlier than the others. For the last few days, he had been able to sleep better than the past few weeks since bringing 1 and 2 back, and it had already been three whole nights without having the same bad dream. He looked over at 3 and 4, who were still asleep in their sock beds, then at 7, and she was still fast asleep. 9 got out of the bed and kissed 7 on the forehead as he covered her entire body up to her shoulders with the blanket. He got onto the lift and was about to pull the switch to go down, but then he started having second thoughts. He thought the lift would possibly wake up the other Stitchpunks, and 1 wouldn't like to have his well-deserved first sleep back in the world interrupted.

He decided to climb down the small rope ladder at the edge of the living quartes that 2 had created for the past couple of days for him in case anyone needed to go down or up without waking anyone up from their sleep. It took a couple more minutes than the lift to climb all the way down to the solid ground, but it was worth not waking the others up.

As soon as he reached the floor, 9 stopped at the exit when he saw a familiar moth near the giant opened book. He came over to where it was to get closer to it now that he was no longer weary of it, and the moth didn't fly away when he stood in front of it. He grinned and said to the moth, "I guess you like following me around. You must be lonely in this world." The moth moved its wings a little, as if answering him yes.

9 nodded in agreement, "I'm lonely in this world myself. I may still have the woman I love and the twins, and my very first friend and the man who used to hate me but now accepts me are back, but there's this one person I miss more than anything. He was my best friend who saved me after 2 was captured by the Beast and he stood by my side when I needed him, and he never gave up on me. I was only alive for a little while when I knew him, but I knew him like he was my older brother and he was just like one; loyal, kind, caring, and one I could trust." He sighed sadly, remembering his last moments with 5, from when they blew up the Factory and celebrated their victory until they learned they were unsuccessful at destroying the Fabrication Machine.

He could still remember the pain he felt when he witnessed 5's life being claimed by the Fabrication Machine right in front of him and the others. He sighed, "If only I was there in time to save him. I could never forgive myself for letting him die at the hands of the machine I awakened. He died all because of me." He closed his eyes tight and looked away in shame. He sighed heavily and said sadly, "I just want to see him again."

He watched with curiosity as the moth fluttered away and up to 2's quarters. They were only above the jars and stacked books that the twins kept in the globe for safekeeping in case of research. He climbed them to reach 2's quarters and found 2 asleep in his slipper bed. He looked over at the corner where the telescope rested against, and he quietly walked over towards it while trying not to wake 2 up. He saw the moth resting on the lens. 9 began to wonder why the moth was resting there. But then he realized something as he saw a connection, since the telescope was built by 5 and 2 long ago, and 5 would use it in the watchtower.

Was the moth telling him that he could bring his friend back next?

"9?"

The young Stitchpunk gasped in alarm and tripped over a pile of spare parts that 2 kept in his quarters. 2 got out of his bed and came over to where 9 was. He took his hand and helped him up on his feet, and the older Stitchpunk asked him, "What on earth are you doing awake early? And what brings you into my workshop?"

9 brushed himself and said to him, "I was following the moth here."

"Moth?" 2 asked with a raised brow. 9 nodded, "Yes. It's right there, on the telescope." He pointed at the telescope, but the moth had disappeared. 2 looked at 9 with a raised brow, and the younger Stitchpunk said to him, "It was right there! I found it near the book, and it went here and on the telescope."

"What are you trying to say, lad?" 2 asked him. 9 explained, "You see, after we- well, I set you free from the Talisman, a moth started following me, 7, and the twins around. We all didn't know where it came from or why it was following us. But since after I met the Scientist, I began to think it was helping me in fixing everything. First it was leading me back in the Emptiness to get me back home, and when I got you out of the drain, I found it resting on a flower that was fresh and in full bloom."

"Smashing." 2 smiled with interest. "I guess when the others and I descended to the clouds that very day, the rain we caused must have blessed this world with new life. Not for humans, but for the lost organic life." He said to 9, realizing he was throwing his friend off track with his speaking,"I'm sorry, you were saying?"

9 continued, "Anyways, when I woke up this morning, I found the moth in here and I was telling it how I missed 5 being here, and it led me into your workshop. When I saw it on the telescope you and 5 first built together, I began to think it was telling me that I could bring 5 back next before 6 and 8." 2 listened, and he looked like he didn't think he'd believe 9's story. After a little bit of thinking, 2 said to him, "9, if this is what you think we should do next, then this is our next step to our fresh start of living again."

"So, you'll let me find him, and bring him back here?" 9 asked with a smile. 2 nodded, "That's why I'm going with you." 9's smile turned to worry, and he said to him, "No! I asked 5 to come with me to rescue you once, but what have I done? I got you killed anyway. I can't let that mistake happen again with both you and 5. It's best if you stay here, and the others too."

"What's going on down there!? Can't an old man get some sleep?"

"What's happening down there?"

They heard 1 and 7's voices from out of the workshop, and they both came in as the twins yawned silently and rubbed their eyes. 1 scowled, grumpy from being woken up, "What is all this blabbering about here?" 2 and 9 explained that they were now planning to find and bring back 5, and 9 was refusing to let 2 accompany him out of fear of getting him killed once again and for the others' sake. 1 told him, "Out there by yourself? That's suicide!"

"1, there are no more dangers out there, and I now know my way around this world so I'll be okay on my own." 9 explained. 1 scoffed, "No dangers? What if there's still more monsters left behind by the Machine?"

7 said to him, "That's insane! We destroyed everything the Machine created in the factory when we blew it up. There's no way any other Machine will be out there." 1 nodded in agreement but still frowning, "But still, if one managed to escape the devastation and somehow made its way to the Emptiness, then we're still living in fear."

"Listen!" 9 cut everyone off. They all looked at him and waited for him to answer. He took a deep breath and continued, "I know it doesn't sound right going out alone, but this part is something I need to do on my own." He left the workshop and everyone watched as he activated the switch on the lift and it took him up to his quarters. He came back down a few minutes later with his lightbulb staff and wearing the cloak he made from the torn flag he used a while ago.

Before leaving, he came over to his friends and said to them with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He looked at 7 and the elders and said to them, "Look after the twins while I'm gone."

"We'll do our best." 1 said to him. 9 and the elders exchanged one last smile with each other before 9 ran towards the exit of the globe and left. Once he was outside, he made his way across the books and towards the Library exit. He looked up at the sky and the sun was starting to rise, preparing for a new day in their world. Before he could take a step outside, he heard a voice from behind him.

"9, wait!"

He looked over his shoulder and saw 7 coming up to him wearing her skullmet and shield and carrying her spear. She looked at him and said, "I've been out there longer than anyone else has, including you. So you're going to need a guide, and I'm not taking no for an answer no matter how much you tell me." At first 9 was concered about her well-being, but his concern disappeared and was replaced with a smile of relief. While he is out in the Emptiness once again, this time, he has his beloved by his side.

With a nod, they took off together as the sun rose in the distance.

* * *

**_So what did you guys think so far? Sorry I took so long to write this. I had a major writer's block for this chapter and I was focusing on other stories. I held a vote on my deviantART page a couple days ago to see which of the last few Stitchpunks should be brought back next, and after a lot of voting, it will be 5 coming back now._**

**_9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton_**


	11. Chapter 11

It took them both up until early afternoon to get to the area close to ruins of the factory. Their trek would've taken only little shorter if the bridge that used to be at the chasm hadn't been destroyed. 9 stood in front of the gramophone that laid untouched along with the box of records next to it. He remembered the last great moment he had with everyone after they destroyed the Factory; 3 and 4 riding on the crank and spinning on the record together, 6 making him and 7 laugh by talking into the gramophone, and 5...

His smile disappeared when he suddenly remembered 5 dying in front of him and the others. The fear and horror he imagined on his best friend's face before his soul was claimed, he couldn't stop imaging. Even after his friend was freed from the Talisman after he destroyed the Fabrication Machine, he still couldn't forgive himself for letting 5 die like that.

"9!"

He heard 7 calling to him from close by. He came over to where she was, and he stood over the lifeless body of 5. The deceased medic he loved as an older brother laid wide-eyed on the ground with a hole burnt through his eyepatch where his missing eye would have been. When the Fabrication Machine was trying to get to everyone else and followed them through the oil fields near the bridge, it must have also unknowingly avoided crushing 5 and miraculously keft his body in one piece.

9 didn't even care. He just knelt down to his fallen friend and picked him up in his arms, and he held him close.

"5, I'm so sorry." he cried, trying to hide his sorrow in front of 7.

But she knew how 9 was feeling. Like him, she loved 5 like an older brother, despite him being a timid and shy medic and engineer and her being a fierce and independant warrior. She still remembered the day 5 lost his eye during humanity's war against the Machines and she and 2 saved him from the slaughter.

She put her hand on 9's shoulder and said to him softly, "He'll be back home soon 9."

"I know." 9 nodded sadly. But 7 knew more of this talking was going to make him feel worse, so she stopped talking for a bit while they looked around for something they could use to bring 5 back to the Library. 7 spotted a lone piece of shattered wood and some thin pieces of rope. Thinking of an idea, she went over to the objects and grabbed them along with a stray nail. Then she started pounding the nail into the rope on the wood, using a rock as big as her hand as a hammer to nail it in.

Before 9 could ask her what she was doing, 7 said to him as if she was reading his mind, "I remember the times I scouted the battlefield during the war. When the humans got shot or badly injured, others would come over to get them with these things and use them to pull them to safety so they could recover." She had 9 help her get 5 onto the wood and he crossed 5's arms over his chest. He looked peaceful the way he rested now.

Before they left, 9 spotted something next to the gramophone. He came over and it was 5's bag of weapons. It looked a little worn out now since the last time he saw 5 wearing it, but everything was still in there except for his trusted crossbow. He thought, _When 5 comes home, I think I'll make him a new one. A gift from a friend._

Picking up the backpack, he put the strap over his shoulder and took it with him. He heard 7 say to him, "It looks good on you." He looked at 7 and she laughed, "In fact, you and 5 would look like twins if he had both of his eyes." 9 laughed, imagining him and 5 being twins, with the same buttons or zipper and the both of them having two eyes each. He said to her, adjusting the strap on the backpack, "Let's get going before it get's dark. If we take the old battlefield, it would save us half a day." He went over to 7 and 5's body, and he took the ropes in his hands and was about to drag him on the wood, but he stopped for a second and looked at the ruins of the Factory.

"What's wrong 9?" 7 asked him. 9 answered, "We can't go back home yet. There's still more I need to do." He looked back at the Factory ruins, and 7 knew what he was talking about.

8.

She shook her head in disbelief, "But, 9. I don't think he made it in the explosion. It won't work." 9 said to her, "I know it sounds crazy. But I have to try and find him. There may be hope he's still in one piece." He came over to her and took her hands, then he looked into her eyes and said to her, "Trust me."

He was about to rush down the hill towards the factory, but he stopped and went back to take 5 with him, and he took 7's hand too. Before 7 could ask him what he was doing, he said to her, "I need you with me. I can't do it alone." 7 began to smile. She knew he wasn't going to do this without her. They went down the hill together, but they were going down slowly to prevent 5 from sliding off the makeshift gurney. They reached the ruins a few minutes later.

Being back there made 9 feel a bit scared and sad. That place brought back horrible memories, from him awakening the Fabrication Machine and getting 2 killed to watching 8 die after being handed to the Machine by the Seamstress and almost 7 until he saved her in time. He pushed those terrible memories aside and he and 7 started searching the rubble for 8's body. They couldn't find a single trace of fabric or a part of the body anywhere, but they still kept looking around the large landscape of shattered rubble.

Several hours later, they were about to give up their search. 9 sat down on a slab of concrete and said to 7, "Let's make camp for now. We'll continue in the morning."

"But 9, we've looked everywhere and there's still no sign of 8." 7 said. "What if he really is gone?" 9 began to think that what if it was true; 8's body had been destroyed in the explosion and he would never live again.

Taking a deep breath, he said to 7, "We'll rest for the night here, and we'll go back home tomorrow." WIth that, he and 7 made a small shelter for the both of them, and they kept 5 by their side. They gathered some small bits of shattered wood from the ruins and started a fire to stay warm.

As the hours passed, the fire began to die down, and the sun began to set as the stars illuminated the night sky. 7 had just fallen asleep next to 9, who was still wide awake and watching the sky. He couldn't stop thinking about 5 or 8. While the one-eyed medic was going to have his life restored and able to walk on the earth again, 8 will still remain lonely in the Heavens without being able to protect everyone. He never liked the bodyguard that much since they met, as he had been a bully to him from the start by pushing him around and intimidating him. He even felt angry when 7 told him how 8 once beat her in 3 and 4's place under 1's orders. He had hoped that if he cokd bring him back, he could turn over a new leaf and start fresh with everyone he picked on, but he knew it would never happen now.

He began to fall alseep next to 7 until he spotted something familiar. He got back up for a second and saw the moth resting on a slab of concrete far away from him and 7. He watched it flutter towards another one and another, as if it was trying to tempt him to follow it. Curiously, he began to wonder where it was wanting to lead him this time. He grabbed his light bulb staff and followed the moth.

He scaled over piles of rubble until he found the moth on the other side of one of the piles. 9 continued to follow it over, but he lost his footing and fell with a yell down the pile. He landed on the solid ground with a grunt. He rubbed his head while getting back up on his feet again and grabbed his lightbulb staff, which coincidentally landed next to him, and used it to support himself back up. He looked around and wondered where he was, and he saw himself in one of the spots he and 7 were looking earlier.

He found the both resting on some rubble that was sticking out from one of the piles. He said to himself, "How come 7 and I didn't even notice that earlier?" He pushed his thoughts aside and went over to where the moth was and tugged at the rubble with a grunt. After some pulling, the rubble didn't even budge. But he wasn't about to give up. If he couldn't pull it out, he was going to have to pry it off. Using the end of his lightbulb staff, he pryed at the rubble with all his might. He worried he could break his mechanical bones from inside from how much he was straining.

Finally, the rubble broke free and he fell to the ground. He looked up and found rubble sliding down the pile and was about to crush him! He quickly got back of his feet and ran to the side just as the rubble came timbling down towards him. He breathed a sigh of relief, but his relief was cut short when something heavy landed on him and trapped him underneath. Screaming in horror, he frantically scratched at the ground as he tried to get out from underneath and moved his legs to help him. He crawled away from the thing that landed on him, and he would have screamed louder if he was scared at what he found.

He smiled in relief and excitement that the thing that landed on him was really the body of another deceased Stitchpunk; it was 8!

* * *

7 was sleeping with content until she heard the sound of a rockslide from close by, followed by a scream of horror. Recognizing the voice, she gasped, "9!" She grabbed her skullmet and spear and followed the screaming to its source.

"9? 9!" she called for her lover. She worried that a Machine that survived the explosion the day the destroyed the Factory had gotten him. Her worries disappeared when she saw 9 laughing happily in relief. He laughed, "7! I found him! He was burried under all this rubble! And he's still in great shape!"

Looking down, she saw the massive body of 1's deceased bodyguard laying on the rubble. He looked dusty and filthy from the dirt, but 9 was right; he was still in one piece and not one single part of him was missing! She came down to 9 and smiled, "How did you find him? And how did you know he was just buried?"

"I don't know, to be honest." 9 replied. "I don't even know how he survived the explosion. Maybe when those things were chasing us, they must have unknowingly dragged him into a gap before the explosion, and the force must have buried him and protected him from the flames." They kept asking about how one Stitchpunk larger than the others survived an enormous explosion as they both helped each other bring 8 up the slope. But he was too heavy for them to bring him up.

They went the other way around the piles and dragged him with them from his underarms. It took nearly a half hour, but they made it back to their camp with 8. While 9 suggested they'd get some sleep until morning, but 7 suggested that they should go back home right nowand they placed him on top of the gurney. They took 5 off the gurney and place 5 on it instead. Then they began to wonder how they would carry 5 back now.

9 volunteered, "Don't worry about 5, 7. I can carry him back to the Library."

"Are you sure about that 9?" 7 asked. She wasn't sure if he could carry him all the way back with no problem. 9 nodded, but he was concerned about 7 having to pull 8 back. He asked her, "What about you?"

7 assured him, "I've pulled heavier in my times in the Emptiness. I think I can carry him back with no problem." They waited until the flames died out before they set back on foot to the Library with the two deceased Stitchpunks in tow. They left the ruins through the tunnel that 9 went through a few times to get to the Library, the first time with 5 to save 2 and the last time when he brought the rest of the Stitchpunks with him to save 7 and 8 before they destroyed the Factory.

He tried his best to stop remembering those past moments of his short life as they continued walking. 9 used his lightbulb staff to light the way through the cave while he carried 5 on his back and 7 pulled 8 with her on the gurney. It took a little while, but they made it out of the tunnel and they made their way across the outskirts of the Emptiness to the Library.

* * *

_**So what did you guys think? 7 and 9 find the bodies of both 5 and 8 at the Factory, and now they're headed back home to bring them back. After that vote I held on deviantART of who would be the next to be revived, 5 and 8 had the most votes, and since both of them were killed by the Fabrication Machine at/near the Factory, I figured why not bring both of them back at the same time? Kind reviews are wanted. Any bad ones, and they'll be deleted/hidden.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	12. Chapter 12

Back at the Library, the twins were watching from the entrance, waiting for 9 and 7 to return as the sky started turning a little bit orange in the horizon. It was hours away from sunrise and they were so tired after being up all night, but they stayed awake and waited for their parental figures to come home.

They heard footsteps behind them, and they looked behind them to see 2 coming up to them. He said to them, "Lad, lass. You two have been up all night and it's almost sunrise." 3 and 4 looked at the courtyard and back at 2, gesturing something to him. Understanding what they were trying to tell him, he said, "Listen, I'm worried about 9 and 7 as much as you two are. But I assure you, they're alright. They'll be home later." He put his hands on each of their shoulders and said to them with a stern yet kind look, "Now let's get back to the globe. You two need to go and get some sleep."

The twins nodded, yawning. They followed him back to the globe and he took them to their quarters. He tucked them into their sock beds and made sure they were comfortable enough. He waited for them to go to sleep before saying goodnight to them and leaving them to take their rest and he used the lift to take him back down to his workshop. 1 would have woken up grumpy if 2 hadn't provided him with a lantern to use as his bed along with some cushions and rags for blankets. When he got back to his workshop, he got off the lift and walked over to his slipper bed. He got under the rag blanket and began closing his eyes to fall asleep.

He woke up a few hours later.

He listened as he heard the sound of something being dragged on the floor coming from outside. He came out from his workshop and saw some shadows from outside the globe from the rays of the rising sun. Grabbing a homemade staff for protection, he went over to the entrance and prepared to defend himself. But he was relieved and happy with what he saw next.

He ran over to the figures and smiled, "7! 9! You're back! Where have you been? You were both gone the whole day, and I was worried sick about you two." He chuckled, "Well, I wasn't the only one. The twins were up all night waiting for you."

9 explained, still carrying 5 on his shoulders, "We found 5 near the Factory, but before we left to go home, 7 and I stayed there for a while to find 8." 7 nodded, "It wasn't really easy to find that big lug. We couldn't find him around the rubble and it took us forever to find him."

"But he wasn't anywhere around the rubble." 9 added. "He was in the rubble."

"I can tell." 2 laughed, seeing how dirty 8's body was as he was lying on the gurney. He dropped the laughter and said, "But all joking aside, did you find anything broken or torn on his body?" 9 shook his head, "No, he was in perfect shape when I found him. But just to be safe, we were hoping you could look into him and see if there was anything crushed like his arm or leg or back."

2 nodded, "I'll do what I can. Now, may I have a look at 5?" 7 took 5 off of 9's back and they both rested him on a book laying flat on the floor. 2 came over to them and looked at 5 with sadness. It pained him seeing his fallen apprentice in front of him, especially after he saw him as a son when he was alive and they were always spending time together working on new inventions and practicing their medical lessons. 9 knew exactly how 5 felt when he was looking at 2's body when he died, and from the look he saw on 5's face, it truly broke his heart to lose a man he looked up to as a father.

The old inventor ran his hand over 5's burnt eye patch and sighed, "You'll be home soon, lad." He looked at 9 and 7, and he said to them, "I'll need both him and 8 in my workshop. Can you give me a hand taking them there?"

"Of course." 7 nodded. 9 stopped her, "Hold on, 7. You pulled 8 with you all night, so I think you need some rest after all that." 7 assured her, "I'm fine. Honest." 2 said to her, "I'm going to have to agree with him, lass. You must be exhausted from being up all night, so once 9 and I get these two in my workshop, I think you and 9 need to get some rest." 7 was feeling too tired to argue with him, so the least she could do right now was to go back to the twins and go get some well-deserved sleep. She figured she was going to be asleep all day, which was fine by her. It would be the first time in a long time she actually had a better sleep without the Cat Beast hot on her tail when it was still here.

Before she went to her and 9's quarters, she brought 5 to the workshop while 9 and 2 worked together to get the gurney carrying 8's massive body into the globe. After getting the bodies to the workshop, 9 went to his quarters to see the twins asleep in their beds, and 7 was already fast asleep in her and 9's bed with her helmet off and placed next to the bed. He placed his lightbulb staff next to her spear, which was close to the bed, and he crawled in with her. Seconds later, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The Cat Beast scavenged the streets of the city ruins to find the creations, but it was getting nowhere. It was about to move on when it heard the sound of footprints from close by, followed by the sound of something being dragged. It looked over a pile of rubble that was near a destroyed building that used to be a café, and something caught its eye.

Two small creatures, a white female and a brown male carrying and dragging two more creatures; one that was bigger and heavy-looking than them and another that had one eye.

The Machine recognized them immediately as the Stitchpunks it last faced before it blacked out. It let out a small growl of anger, quiet enough not to be heard by its prey, as it followed them down the path as the sky turned to orange from the sun. It watched as they arrived at the abandoned building that the humans have called a library. It figured that the rest of the still-living Stitchpunks and the revived ones were also in there, and the two lifeless ones were going to be the next to be alive again.

The feral beast wanted to strike and attack them, but it could not be seen in broad daylight when it would be easy for them to spot it. It knew that nightfall would be the perfect chance to plan its attack, but with the slender white one, it was going to be hard for it to capture the creations again, although the Fabrication Machine had provided its neck wiring with protection after being repaired.

The Cat Beast retreated back to the Emptiness to await its time to attack. But to attack, it needed back-up. It returned to its hideout and went over to a large crack in the wall. It let out a large, lion-like roar into it.

It waited a few minutes later for its 'roommate' to wake up from its sleep and come out of it den. The once silent building now had the sound of a snake rattling through the walls. A snake-like creature made of old rags for skin, sewing needles and a pair of sewing scissors for arms with thread attached to them. It's head consisted of a shattered doll's face and its red mechanical eye appeared out of it, and teeth-like structures appeared below its doll face that kept the thread it held untangled and straight.

The Seamstress stared at the Cat Beast and gave it a loud, blood-curdling screech that sounded like a horse in agony and close to death. The Cat Beast growled in response, both Machines exchanging words.

'How dare you interrupt my sleep?'

'I have located the whereabouts of the creatures our master had faced before Master was destroyed.'

The mention of the creations made the Seamstress screech in anger. Before the day their home, the Factory, the very fortress of their master the Fabrication Machine, had been destroyed by those Stitchpunks, the Machine had been so proud of its work on the first Seamstress, it decided to make it a twin 'sister', but with just one minor difference; since there was only one creation's corpse in the Factory, it was left with only a club-like tail. After its 'sister' had been slaughtered by the very Stitchpunk that awakened their master after it gave the Fabrication Machine one of the others that it captured, the Cat Beast, who had been repaired at the time, had gotten it out of the Factory, along with some stray Spiderbots, before the explosion that destroyed the building occurred.

The remaining Machines took shelter far away from the Factory after their master survived the explosion and extracted some more souls from two other creations. After the Machines heard of the destruction of their master, the Seamstress, like the Cat Beast, wanted to avenge both its master and its 'sister', and both Machines have been working together for the last month to plan to destroy the last Stitchpunks.

The Cat Beast continued through its growls.

'There is more. I've discovered that the souls of the creatures the Master extracted are returning to their shells. And it appears they're using the device!'

The Seamstress screeched angrily at the news, flailing its tail around in rage and hitting a piece of wood nearby. It shattered into splinters and wood chips with a strong swing.

'Are you sure?!'

'Affirmative! And the returned souls are hiding away in that abandoned library.'

The Seamstress knew this would be a perfect chance to get even with the one who killed its 'sister', and it wailed to the Cat Beast to prepare an attack on them when they were ready.

'But remember this, the best time to strike is at night. We must capture them using the element of surprise.'

The Seamstress hissed in agreement, and they proceeded to prepare their assault on the Library and capture and kill the Stitchpunks as the Spiderbots scavenged for things the two beasts could enhance themselves with to make them powerful.

* * *

_**So what did you guys all think? While 9 and 7 have managed to bring 5 and 8 back with them to the Library, the Cat Beast is plotting to attack them and the other Stitchpunks, with the help of the most terrifying Machine ever created that the Stitchpunks have faced. I thought it would be clever to have the Cat Beast and Seamstress talk to each other in a language only understood by Machines, and from the looks of it, they are both animalistic and display their own free will judging by the way they interact with each other.**_

_**Just to let everyone reading this know, it's only the Cat Beast and Seamstress returning in this story, but the Fabrication Machine and Winged Beast won't be returning.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


	13. Chapter 13

9 didn't know how long he had been sleeping for, but by the time he awoke it was late afternoon and 7 wasn't by his side. He heard voices coming from down below.

He got out of his matchbox bed and walked over to the lift. He figured 7 had left it there for him if he woke up and jumped down to the ground. He could still remember how graceful she looked when she once jumped off one of the shelves and doing a perfect flip before landing on the floor with ease. 9 pushed his thoughts aside and activated the switch on the lift to make it go down to the bottom.

9 stepped off the lift once it reached the floor and he saw the others gathered at the large book. When they heard the sound of the lift stopping and 9's footsteps on the ground, they all turned around to see him. 7 said to him with a chuckle, "Look whose finally awake." 3 and 4 both came over to him and hugged him, greeting him. 9 laughed as he rubbed their hooded heads, "Hey, guys. Good to see you too." 7 and 2 laughed happily at their moment together.

The twins let go of 9 before he asked, "Where's 1?"

7 answered, "He's in the workshop. Hasn't left his spot for the whole day since he saw 8 in there." 2 nodded in agreement, "I haven't seen him this distraught in so long. Not since the war. And he says he wants to have 8 back as soon as possible." He said to 9 with a small assuring smile, "I checked 8 for any broken parts inside him, and just like he is on the outside, he is in perfect shape. Not one single broken part."

"That's good news." 9 smiled in relief. Last night he had been relieved that 8 was still in one piece after surviving the explosion, but what he was more worried about what his structures inside and that if anything was broken, he would never fight or protect anyone again. "And 5?"

"I checked him as well. Nothing wrong with him either." 2 looked down with a sigh, "But I need to find a new eyepatch to replace the one he has with a burn hole."

"What was 5's eyepatch made of, exactly?" 9 asked with curiosity. 2 replied, "It was made of a piece of leather I found when 1 led us to Sanctuary. 5's eye was too damaged from the war, I couldn't even fix it. So the least I could do to help was clean the debris out of the socket and fix the wiring because I was worried that his face would catch fire from the sparks." He could remember when they first arrived at the cathedral to escape the bloodbath of the war, and he was always comforting 5 after he lost his eye in the crossfire. He still remembered how scared and traumatized poor 5 had been from that experience and after replacing his lost eye with the patch, it took him weeks to help 5 get over it all as they and the others waited for the war to end, and 2 helped him adjust to having only one eye until he had less trouble with it.

2 tried to remember where the leather he used to make 5's eyepatch came from. But all he could remember was that he found it on an old shoe that was left behind near the cathedral when the humans were fleeing the city while others stayed behind to fight against the Machines. He only took just enough to heal 5's missing eye, and he didn't know what happened to it afterwards ever since.

"I know it was shoe leather," he said to 9 and 7. "But I just can't remember what kind of shoe it was." To their surprise, the twins grabbed 2's hands and pulled him towards the lift. 9 and 7 didn't know what had gotten into the 3 and 4 all of a sudden, but they knew they were trying to show 2 something that caught their interest. While they waited for them to return, 9 decided to go talk to 1 in the workshop.

He found the leader sitting on a spool of thread in front of two makeshift gurneys where 5 and 8 were laying peacefully next to each other. 9 walked over to him and placed a hand on the old Stitchpunk's shoulder, making him turn his head and face the younger one. He sighed softly before looking away, "You brought him back." He looked at 8 laying on the gurney with his wide mouth closed and his arms crossed over his chest.

"I needed to." 9 replied. "I couldn't come back here with him left behind. Not after I let this happen to him." He sighed sadly as he looked at the dead bodyguard, "And I'm the only one who watched him die in front of me. If it was you, I didn't know how you'd react losing your only protection." 1 looked at him and said sadly, "He wasn't just my bodyguard. He was my closest friend. I didn't realize it until I lost him, but I saw 8 as not just a bodyguard or a friend, he was like a son to me." He looked at 9, "I wanted to destroy the Machine so I could avenge 8. At first I thought you took everything away from us when you awakened the Machine, but I was wrong after your heroism. We may have lost our lives to the Machine because of you at first, but then I realized you had brought us together to bring down the biggest threat, and you are helping us make our lives anew."

"But you said it yourself." 9 said to him. "I endangered everything you've been working for your whole lives because of my stupid mistake. I even endangered your own lives and killed my own people after I started caring about them." He looked away in shame at 5. His eye patch was already removed, and all that was in its place was a broken eye socket and melted and burnt wires from when the Talisman sucked out his soul from that socket. 7 was right; he and 5 almost did look like twins if they had matching buttons or zippers and the same shade of brown in their burlap skin. He sighed sadly as he ran his hand over his best friend's cheek. It felt ice cold.

He felt close to crying invisible tears again, but a clawed hand was placed on his shoulder to comfort him. He looked over to see 1 standing next to him with sadness. He said to him, "You both cared for each other, didn't you?" 9 nodded, "He was not only my friend. He was my brother."

1 looked back at 8's body, then back at 5's. He thought for a minute before saying to 9, "Then you must bring him back next." 9 looked at him and said with surprise, "You mean, you're letting me even after 2 said to me that you wanted 8 back right now?"

The elder said to him, "As much as I need my bodyguard again, as a leader, I need to put my people's needs before my own. And since your friend means so much to you and you brought me back here, I will return the favour and let you have your friend back next." 9 couldn't believe his leader. Apart from his touching reunion with him, this was the very first time 1 had ever showed 9 any form of kindness. He wanted 8 back, but now he was letting 9 have his best friend back in his life. He could feel a smile grow on his face and he could have sworn he could feel tears of joy forming inside him. Even when he couldn't produce any real ones, he could still feel them inside.

He couldn't hold back this emotion anymore and, out of his control, he embraced 1. He said to him softly, "Thank you for seeing how much he means to me." 1 didn't know how to react next when he felt the arms of the boy he once hated around him, but he just rubbed his back kindly in return. They both parted from their embrace and 9 left the workshop to grab the Talisman from his quarters. He ran into 2 on the way out.

"9! I found a new patch for 5." he said with a smile as he held a piece of fabric in his hands. It looked like the same leather from 5's old eye patch, but it was a bit lighter in colour. 2 said to him, "The twins took me to one of their shelves and showed me an old boot, and it was almost the exact same leather I used for 5. They were willing to give up a little piece of it for him." 9 smiled softly at him before he left the workshop and went to the lift to his quarters, leaving the two elders behind.

Once he got to his quarters, he grabbed the Talisman and the wire from the corner of the room and placed it inside his chest to keep it secured until it was time for 5's revival. He came back to the workshop and saw 1 had already left and 2 was standing over 5. He looked over to see 9 there and 2 asked him, "9, I'm going to need some help fixing 5's face. Can you help me keep his head still so I could patch it up?" 9 nodded and went over to him.

He stood in front of the one-eyed Stitchpunk as 2 tighened some brown thread on a sewing needle, and 9 held both 5's head and the patch in place with both of his hands while 2 carefully sewed the patch on. Once he was done stitching the front of his face, 9 turned him over and 2 continued the process on the side of his head, then he finished on the back. They laid 5 back down and they looked at his new eye patch. It was a perfect match, and the stitchings were the exact same pattern as how the original version looked.

2 and 9 nodded in appreciation at each other for their teamwork. 2 said to 9, "1 told me what he said to you before you got back. I couldn't be happier to have my apprentice back." He added as he put his hand on 9's shoulder, "Are you ready for this?"

9 nodded with a smale smile, "I've waited so long to see him again."

2 told him that he would get the others while 9 brought 5 outside for his ressurection. He picked his fallen friend up in his arms and carried him outside the globe. He went outside to the courtyard and placed 5 on the same brick he revived 1 on the other day while the others had followed outside and gathered around. He took out the Talisman and wire, then he unbuttoned 5's chest and placed the wire in the socket in the middle of it before connecting the budded end of the wire with the Talisman.

He looked back at the others, and they all looked at him with hopeful smiles and 1 and 2 both nodded reassuring. 9 nodded a little back and looked at the Talisman in his hands. Remembering the pattern of the sequence, he slowly but carefully pressed each of the symbols on the Talisman in the same order; lower left, top, bottom.

The round, imprinted device began shaking in 9's hand and he quickly aimed it to the sky before the three glowing beams shot out from it and started extracting 5's soul from the clouds. The green essence traveled through the wire and back into its empty shell. The beams came back into the Talisman and the device closed up again.

9 closed 5 back up again and he and the others waited for their one-eyed friend to wake up again. After a few minutes, 9 felt a feeling of happiness when he watched as 5's fingers made a sudden movement.

* * *

_**So what did you guys think? 5 and 8 are good to go for their ressurection, and 1 and 2 share a couple of moments with 9 about their son figures. And now our beloved one-eyed engineer 5 is about to come back. How will his reunion with 9 and everyone else go?**_

_**I know you guys can see a little Beauty and the Beast vibe in this chapter, but I thought it would be a bit fitting for 1 and 9's moment.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton, and Beauty and the Beast belongs to Disney.**_


	14. Chapter 14

9 watched as 5's hands and feet began to twitch, and then he suddenly let out a huge gasp for air back into the world. He panted heavily as he blinked his one eye and looked around with it. 9 didn't know what to say when he saw his best friend alive again in front of him.

"F... 5?"

The one-eyed Stitchpunk looked over at 9, and a big smile lit up his face. The smile that 9 had missed so much. 5's breathing had slowed down to normal, and he said to him softly, "Hello, 9." The young Stitchpunk couldn't hold back his emotions anymore and wrapped his arms around his one-eyed friend. 5 returned his embrace and they didn't let go of each other for a long time.9 said to him, "I missed you so much. It's so good to have you back again."

"I missed you too, my friend. It's great to be back." 5 said. 9 let go of him after a few seconds and looked at 5. His smile disappeared and he sighed, "I'm so sorry." 5 asked him, "For what?"

9 answered sadly, "For letting you and everyone else die, and for killing your friend 2. After everything I put you and everyone else through, you deserve a better friend than me, and not someone who'd put you or any of your friends in danger." He looked away from 5 in shame, not bearing to think about the horrible memories that haunted him for the last month. To his surprise, he felt a hand on his shoulder and 5 said to him, "9, the past is in the past now. Everything that had happened is all behind us, and we're free thanks to you. I'm free from my fears thanks to you. No more sadness or blaming yourself, okay?"

9 nodded, knowing this wasn't a dream where he would see his friend only in it, and hugged him tighter. 5 put his hand on 9's arm and chuckled, "Uh, 9? Think we can continue this later? There's still others I need to see again."

9 replied, realizing he was too busy reuniting with his best friend that he forgot all about the others, "Sure." He let go of 5 and he got off the brick. He was too excited to realize that just after coming back to life, his legs were still a little weak. He nearly fell down, but 9 grabbed him and stopped his fall. 5 sighed in relief and looked at 9 with a grateful smile before walking towards 1, 2, the twins, and 7. 9 smiled as 2 and 5 both hugged each other and 2 chuckled with joy now that his apprentice had finally come back home to join him. When they were done, he came over to 7 and hugged her tightly, and the warrior retuned it with a soft smile. He let go of her and went to the twins, who both ran over to him and knocked him off his feet. 5 laughed as they hugged him, and he rubbed 3's hooded head before doing the same to 4's.

He watched as 1 came over to them and he cleared his throat to get 5's attention. Hearing him, 5 turned around and nearly jumped in alarm. He saw the old leader standing near him and he began to shake a little seeing that stare he was so afraid of the last time he was alive and living under his rule. He expected him to still be his hardened, cold self, but much to his surprise, 1 placed his repaired hand on the one-eyed medic's shoulder and smiled softly at him. He said, "Welcome home, my boy."

5 shook at his touch, but he began to calm down when he heard this soft words. He had never heard 1 say anything this nice in a very long time ever since they first awoke before the war. He kept his guard up, but not enough to refuse 1's warm welcome back to the living world. He smiled at his leader, "Thank you, 1."

9 smiled at his beloved friend, his brother, with everyone. He could feel the void in his heart and soul disappearing. His entire coven was almost whole again.

* * *

The Cat Beast hid within the shadows of a ruined building nearby the Library and watched the creations revive one of their own, and the revived Stitchpunk that it recognized from before the white Stitchpunk sliced its head off was happily embracing them all before they started heading back into the building. It waited until the Stitchpunks went back into the Library before it ran back to its hideout.

It found the Seamstress watching the Spider Bots scrounging the rubble for anything useful that they could use while hunting down the creations. The Cat Beast came over to the Machine.

'I've made the decision; we must finally make our move and attack the creations.'

The Seamstress screeched in curiosity, questioning it.

'But what about the large strong male? It would be a matter of time before they bring it back. And we are powerless.'

'Have you forgotten that it was your sister that captured two of those creations, including that large one?'

'Only because she had one of them on her tail as bait, and the large one was so easy to capture! Sure he may have looked threatening, but he was the easiest to fool.'

'With that tail of yours, you can take out more of them than me and it would disable them long enough to take back the device, and then we'll hopefully for our Master, we will take the one who destroyed Master and avenge the deaths of our fallen comrades. After all, is avenging your sister what you wanted to do?'

The Seamstress didn't hesitate to agree with the Cat Beast. For their master and its 'sister', the creations and the ninth one will pay for everything. They assembled every Spider-Bot in their lair and ordered them to have it ready for when they bring the creations so they could finish what the Fabrication Machine started.

* * *

9 sat alone on a book at the fountain. He stared at his reflection in the crystal blue water as the light from the sunset glowed on the water, making it look more an orange colour then blue. Back in the globe, the others were helping 5 adjust to living again and 2 helped him in getting a spot set up for him near his new living quarters. 5 was happy that the telescope they built together that 9 had salvaged from the remains of their old home had survived the fire, and he was working on a couple of new things with 2 from the junk he found in the office in the Library.

When he was done getting all settled in, 5 decided to go for a walk around the Library. He missed the place so much since he had left the world when he died, and although it didn't feel much like Sanctuary, it gave him and the others more than enough space to roam around. But his legs were still a little weak since he had been revived earlier and started walking again, and when he tried jumping around from book to book, his legs gave in and he slipped off of the book he landed on.

He landed on his back onto the floor with a grunt, then he got back up again. He said to himself as he rubbed his lower back, "I guess I need to slow down on the jumping a little." He continued walking around the Library floors, jumping over a couple more books on the way, but not as much as he was earlier. He stopped walking when he saw 9 sitting near the fountain by himself when 5 looked down from the balcony that was above the fountain. From the solemn look on his face, 5 knew that something was troubling his friend.

5 made his way down the marble steps to the fountain to meet up with 9, and he seated himself next to his friend on the book he was sitting on. 5 greeted him, "Hi."

9 returned the greeting with a smile and repeated, "Hi."

5 said to him as he put his hand on 9's shoulder, "What are you doing out here all by yourself? Everyone else is back at the globe." 9 sighed, looking down at the water, "I was just thinking."

"Is this about what I said to you earlier?" 5 asked. 9 shook his head before turning away from his friend. He said sadly, "The truth is it's just that I've been bothered by this dream I kept having since you and the others had died."

He explained, "It keeps repeating every night. It starts with me trying to catch up to 7 and getting chased by a moth, then the Machine and its creations start cornering me. The Machine grabs me and I see you, 1, 2, 6, and 8 close by. I begged you to help me, but you all refused, and you called me a killer of our kind." He rubbed his arms as if he was feeling cold, despite the air being warm.

5 put his hand on 9's shoulder and said to him, feeling pity for him for all the pain he had to go through after his and the others' deaths, "9, what makes you think I would say something like that to you? You know as well as I do, you never meant for what happened long ago. None of us knew about the Machine either. All our lives, we never knew that there was a much bigger threat than the Beast." 9 looked away and said, "But after I awakened the Machine, 1 was right about me putting you all in even more danger."

"But you also put an end to it." 5 said. "Without you, we never would have known about the Machine or the truth about our existence, or our purpose for this world. Even though you did awaken the Machine, don't ever think of yourself as a murderer or killer of our kind." He wrapped his arms around 9 and held him in a comforting embrace. 9 began to feel calmer being in the safe and gentle arms of his best friend, his brother. He returned the hug and his sorrow vanished for a brief moment.

9 let go of 5 and got up from the book, and he said as he grabbed his lightbulb staff, "We'd better get back to the others. We'll need to bring 8 back now."

5 said in agreement as he got up to join him, "You're right. I just hope he doesn't go back to his old ways, or I won't be able to sleep right with him around. He still scares me a little." 9 chuckled, "I hope so too."

They walked up the stairs together to head back to the globe. Little did they know, something was outside the Library in the courtyard waiting for them.

* * *

_**So how was this chapter? Our beloved one-eyed medic is back, and he and 9 share a brotherly moment before 9 prepares to revive the bodyguard 8 next. But things are about to go awry when the Machines are planning their next move and are planning to show themselves to the Stitchpunk coven!**_

_**So very sorry this chapter took forever! I was trapped in a writer's block for this story and I was focusing on my other ones, and I was so busy with them that I lost track of focusing on this one. But hopefully this chapter would make it up for it.**_

_**9 belongs to Shane Acker and Tim Burton.**_


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